In the Worst Way
by Peace and Equality
Summary: After Hermione is attacked, the way to defeat the Dark Lord is discovered. But at what lengths will Voldemort go through to find it? T for violence and language.
1. The Torture

Disclaimer: Not Mine. Except for the plot.

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She was kneeling on the ground, one arm clutching her stomach and her wand while the other was keeping her upright. She couldn't tell how long this had been going on for. It seemed like ages. And no one was coming to help. There had to be some spells to keep from anyone hearing, especially her parents who were upstairs sound asleep.

Slowly Hermione stood up as pain surged throughout her body. She looked at the 3 death eaters who were her tormentors. They still had masks on but she could see their smug smiles at the pain in her eyes.

"Want to continue?" The tallest one asked with a slight laugh in his voice. "Expelliarmus!" Hermione's wand flew over to the other side of the room. This was what they did. They'd disarm her and torture her until she reached her wand then start from the beginning.

"Crucio!" Shouted the second death eater as he aimed his wand at Hermione, who crumpled to the ground holding in her screams. Screaming is what they wanted the most and she wouldn't grant them the satisfaction.

The moment she was released from the curse she dove over the couch where her wand lay and quickly picked it up. The pain was excruciating but survival was what came first. She stood up as the third death eater yelled "Stupefy!" but Hermione quickly countered with "Ennervate." Then she aimed her wand the first death eater and screamed "Immobulus!" He fell to the ground, unable to move.

Hermione saw a green flash flying at her but before it could reach her she shouted "Protego" causing the second death eater to fall unconscious. She slowly turned to the third with anger in her eyes and raised her wand. She cried "Leave! Leave or I'll kill you!"

"Do you think you could really kill me," questioned the final death eater. "You're nothing but a mudblood. And a mudblood cannot kill a pureblood like me."

Immediately Hermione recognized the voice as that of Lucius Malfoy. Her anger only grew after the mudblood comment and at his arrogance. She wanted to make him pay for causing her pain.

"Well go ahead and do it," he continued. "I won't even fight."

With her wand still firmly facing him she gathered all the anger she held within her. Everything she held back since meeting his bastard of a son. Before she could utter the words she fell to the ground writhing in pain. Out of the shadows came Lord Voldemort.

"Good work Lucius. Now leave me with the girl." With that Malfoy grabbed his fallen brethren and apparated leaving Hermione with the Dark Lord.

With a flick of his wand Hermione's body stopped squirming, still feeling the pain lingering from the last spell. She looked up to see who had caused her this pain.

"Ah Miss. Granger," Voldemort slowly circled around Hermione, who was slowly getting to her feet, "it is so nice to finally meet you personally. As I am sure the feeling is mutual."

"What do you want from me," she managed to speak out, her voice a little shaken with fear but she tried to hide it.

"I'm sure you know. You are the brightest witch in your school aren't you? It's kind of sad if you ask me. A mudblood is supposed to be the brightest witch. Ha! That school sure has gone downhill. Dumbledore has only hindered the education system."

Hermione grasped her wand harder trying to think of a way out or to somehow call for help. She didn't want to leave her parents alone with Voldemort. She was quickly knocked out of her thoughts as she went flying through the glass into her front yard. Scrapes covered her arms and face as she quickly got to her feet, wand at the ready from the window where she had just come out of.

"See what happens when you don't listen to me mudblood."

"I'm not afraid of you," Hermione glanced around thinking that if she could lore Voldemort out of the house she could cast a spell to keep him from going back in for at least long enough to get help. Once again she was snapped out of her thoughts from a pain that made her wish for death.

Without taking the spell off of her Voldermort laughed. "This is what happens when you try to be defiant. This is what happens when you try to protect Harry Potter. And for that you will feel a pain so immense that you will wish for death. You will be put in your place."

Hermione continued to struggle with the pain. Tears rolled down her face and yet she still refused to scream. No one deserved that satisfaction. It had felt like hours since Voldemort placed this curse on her and she wanted for it to end. She could feel her skin splitting from it and blood surging out of the wounds that seemed to appear every second she was under. Suddenly the source of the pain stopped but she felt all new aches from all the bruises and abrasions on her body. She lay on the ground, tears continuously pouring out of her eyes just like the blood coming from the gashes all about her body.

"It hurts doesn't it? This is what you deserve. Now scream for me mudblood. The sooner you scream the sooner it stops." With that Voldemort raised his wand and once more placed Hermione under the Cruciatus curse. Once more she struggled on the ground pain overtaking her thoughts and her body. It seemed like years and it didn't appear to be letting up. She felt the darkness coming over her and if she let that happen then she knew she would never wake up. She would never see her parents again or Harry or Ron. Ron! She had to get to the Burrow. That was the safest place she could think of right now.

Hermione let out a slight whimper making Voldemort release her from the spell. This time it felt as if she was still under it. The pain was so intense that she wanted to throw up. Still she stood up, clutching her wand, and stared at the Dark Lord. Finally, he walked out of the house giving Hermione an opportunity. Quietly she muttered a few words making a shield appear that surrounded her house. Then with the last bit of strength she apparated, even though it broke all the rules to which she was accustom to follow. Her final thought was the Burrow and the feeling of Voldemort's hand grabbing her arm.

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A/N: Please review to find out what happens and any feedback you have!


	2. Morning After

xxxx

Harry awoke with his scar searing with pain. He wanted what he saw to be a dream. He wanted to know that Hermione was safe at home, asleep, not being tortured on account of him. Yet he knew that wasn't the case. He felt as if he himself could feel the pain. But he knew the pain he felt was nowhere near the hurting his best friend was going through right now. She needed help and he had no idea where she was.

He jumped out of bed and went over to Hedwig. Harry wrote a quick letter to Dumbledore and sent Hedwig off with it. It was the best he could do. If he left the safety of the Dursley's he would be risking his life and then no one would know what happened to Hermione. He patiently waited on his bed for a reply knowing that sleep would not come for the rest of the night.

xxxx

Molly Weasley awoke after hearing a loud crack that sounded not too far in the distance. She slowly got out of bed, trying not to wake her husband and looked outside to see snow falling from the sky and covering the ground below. She turned around to head back into her bed when she caught a flash of green light from the shadows. She looked back out the window and saw blood pooling not 20 feet from her house in the snow. And quickly woke her husband.

xxxx

The pain was back. Voldemort was at the Burrow. Hermione felt as if she screwed everything up. She brought danger to the Weasley's. For that she would never forgive herself. Her tears seemed to turn red and she felt her life slipping away from her. Voldemort released the spell and walked closer to her and made her stand, sending tremendous pain shooting through Hermione's body.

"To kill you would be to save you from the pain you feel. I will not kill you but you will die. You will be a reminder to the wizarding world that I am back and that they should beware. Harry Potter is the reason for your death mudblood; him and your ancestry." With one last laugh and one last kick Voldemort disappeared in the blink of an eye. It was then that Hermione remembered the Burrow was magically protected from him. And with that last thought, she slowly began slipping into unconsciousness.

xxxx

The moment Molly reached her she saw the Dark Lord disappear. She grabbed Hermione's hand and saw her eyes flicker with hope.

"Hermione dear, are you alright?" She asked, knowing that the answer was no.

Hermione's eyes flickered at the sound of Mrs. Weasley's voice. She tried to speak but nothing more than a squeak came out. Then her eyes were shut with no sign of opening soon.

"We must bring her inside," Arthur spoke from behind his wife, "she'll freeze out here and we need to heal her."

"Yes. You're right." Mr. Weasley carefully picked up the young girl in his arms and with his wife walked inside. Hey laid Hermione on the couch and went to grab the essentials: water and some towels to clean her up. When he came back into the living room Molly was crying for the girl.

"It'll be alright dear," Arthur tried to comfort his wife, knowing exactly why she was crying. This was the girl their youngest son loved, no matter what he admitted; they knew she would be part of their family officially in the future.

"No it won't," she sobbed, "This shouldn't have happened. I can only imagine what she went through. Remember the Longbottoms? She looks just like they did when.." She trailed off.

"Hermione is still alive Molly. We have to help her. Maybe we should take her to St. Mungo's."

"We can't. There's Death Eaters there. You know that as well as I do," Molly reminded her husband. "We'll clean her up and stop the bleeding. If we don't she'll bleed to death. Unfortunately I don't know any healing spells."

"Nor do I. We'll send an owl to Dumbledore."

"What about the kids? What about Ron? What do we tell him?" Mrs. Weasley kept questioning her husband, even though she knew he wasn't sure what to do either.

"Shh," He whispered trying to calm his wife who was becoming more frantic every moment. "We'll have to tell them, especially Ron. But we have to clean her up before they see her. If they see her like this they will go mad with rage."

Molly agreed. She nodded her head and continued to try and clean up the young girl in front of her. She was like another daughter and wanted payback for the one who caused her this pain.

xxxx

The sun was rising outside of the snow covered Weasley residence. The youngest one, Ginny, was the first one up. She quickly went downstairs to help her mother prepare breakfast, as she did every morning. When she reached the bottom she noticed that her mother wasn't hovering around in the kitchen and there was no smell of bacon or sausage filling the air. She wandered around the kitchen noticing if there was any sign that her mother had been there this morning. That's when she heard a cry from the living room.

Slowly she pushed open the door and was dumbfounded by the sight before her. Her mother and father were covered in blood and before them lay one of her best friends. Hermione looked near death. She was covered in blood and underneath the blood was her pale white face. Her clothes were torn and ragged and there were towels covered in blood strewn across the floor. She was shaking almost uncontrollably, crying as softly as she could as to not wake anyone in the house (at least that's Ginny had assumed, unless her parents put a silencing charm on her).

"Oh my goodness," Ginny whispered as tears formed behind her eyes. She walked over and knelt next to her pain stricken friend and held her hand.

Molly noticed her daughter take Hermione's hand. She had not wanted her or any of her children to witness this scene. It was truly tragic. She wanted to send Ginny off to her room but noticed that Hermione had recognized her and calmed down slightly. She hadn't muttered a word since they had brought her inside, only screaming when they would touch a wound.

But she quietly spoke to the young red-head, "Hi," trying to be a role-model for the girl who looked up to and admired her.

"What happened?" Ginny asked not really knowing if she had wanted to hear the answer.

That's when Hermione screamed. She started to shake even more and tears streamed out of her eyes like rain coming from the sky. Her grip on Ginny's hand tightened as her teeth clenched together.

"Ginny dear," Mrs. Weasley started, "go upstairs and fetch some clothes for her. Do not wake your brothers, especially Ron. Hurry now."

With that Ginny released her friends hand and raced out of sight. That's when Molly turned back to her husband, unsure about what to do.

"Dumbledore will be here soon. We just have to try and stop the bleeding." Arthur got up and tried another spell on the young witch but to no avail, just like all the spells that had tried since she reached them. "I don't understand why none of these are working."

"It's a spell!" Hermione cried out in pain. "You're not supposed to fix this. He doesn't want you to!"

"Who Hermione? Who did this to you?" Mr. Weasley asked, not knowing that his wife knew the answer.

"Voldemort," Molly answered for the young girl, who now lay unconscious on her couch completely still.

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A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! Please continue on doing so, it really inspires me!


	3. Ron's Reaction

Harry patiently awaited the arrival of his Headmaster. His letter back was very brief stating simply that he would be there by sunrise. Now the darkness was giving way to light. On the horizon he saw the sun appear from behind a few houses. It was a beautiful sight but it wasn't important to Harry, not at this time. He wanted to find his best friend and to make sure she wasn't suffering anymore.

He knew the Dursley's wouldn't care where he was, just as long as he was out of their house. Still he wrote a letter saying that he was going back to school early. He had packed all his things the moment he received the reply. His trunk sat upon his bed next to Hedwig's cage while Harry walked away from the window and slowly paced back and forth in his room.

The pain in his scar had ceased but he knew that Hermione's pain had only just begun. Harry knew the effects of the curse but had never seen it kept on a person for so long to mutilate a body like it had to Hermione.

Interrupting Harry's thoughts was a loud pop from behind him. It was his mentor, Dumbledore, who gave Harry a little smile as he turned to face the noise.

"Hello Mr. Potter," he spoke, his smile never leaving his face. "I see you're all packed. That's good."

"Where is she sir?" Harry questioned immediately.

He was met with Dumbledore's hand being held up and him responding, "She is in a safe place. But we must hurry if we wish to save her life." This time he spoke more gravely, the smile gone from his face. "Now quickly grab your things and grab my hand."

Harry obeyed picking up his trunk and Hedwig's cage then grabbed the Headmaster's hand. As soon as he did he felt a tug from his insides and the room before him was no longer before him.

xxxx

The moment Ginny ran out of her room she came face to race with Ron, who had no idea of the terrors going on downstairs.

"Morning Gin," Ron barely spoke out, still groggy from just waking up. "Why in such a hurry?"

Ginny didn't know what to say. She couldn't let her brother go downstairs; if she did he would have a fit. He would surely do something stupid. He would undoubtedly hurt himself (or worse get himself killed) and then who would be there for Hermione? She had to divert him.

"I um wanted to get in the shower before you or Fred or George."

"Is breakfast made already then?" Ron asked as his stomach growled and he started toward the stairs.

"NO!" Ginny shouted, stopping him in his tracks. "I…err…don't think mom's up. Maybe you should go check."

"Bloody hell! That's not like her is it? Oh alright I'll go wake her up." With that Ron shuffled down the hall towards his parent's room, while Ginny ran downstairs to warn her parents.

xxxx

Ron reached his parent's room and gently knocked on the door but there was no answer. She opened the door as quietly as he could only to find the room empty. He walked further into the room and saw the sun rising outside, reflecting off the snow. He wished one day that he and Hermione would see this one day; it was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

That's when he noticed the pool of blood that was barely hidden by a thin layer of snow. He walked right up to the window and looked out. Leading away from the mass amount of red that lay outside his house was a trail that led to inside. That's when he saw Dumbledore appear with Harry and rushed downstairs.

xxxx

Harry appeared in front of, what he considered, his second home. He was never treated as anything less than an equal. It was always welcoming and inviting.

This time, however, he was met with a different feeling. The house looked the same but the atmosphere was anything but. Standing out from the sheet of white snow that covered the house and all its surroundings was blood, starting from a few feet from the house leading right into it. Hermione's blood.

As the realization came to him he closed his eyes and looked away. If that was the scene outside he could only imagine the scene inside. Once he opened his eyes he noticed Dumbledore walking towards the house and proceeded to follow him. Harry's thoughts were racing. He wanted to get even with Voldemort; he wanted him to suffer the way he had made Hermione suffer. But he knew that wasn't what came first.

Dumbledore gently knocked on the door. After what seemed like a lifetime to Harry the door flew open. They were met by Ginny whose eyes were bloodshot red; it appeared that she had been crying.

"Oh thank goodness you're here!" She said with a bit of relief in her voice. "Follow me."

Dumbledore simply nodded and followed the young red-head. Harry followed a few steps behind. He noticed the kitchen was empty, which was very unusual in the Weasley household. His attention was quickly interrupted by a large mass appearing in front of him, causing him and the other to fall to the ground. He recognized him as his best friend.

"Harry what's going on? Did you see outside? There's blood and a lot of it." Ron spoke rapidly, never leaving Harry a chance to answer. Harry had to be the first to tell him about Hermione, he knew how he was going to take it.

"It's Hermione." Harry spoke softly, crawling over to Ron, who was still on the floor. The moment her name was spoken Ron's face paled. Hermione? His Hermione? It couldn't be.

With that he jumped to his feet, leaving Harry in the dust, and ran into the living room. The moment he reached everyone was blocking his view. His mother and father stood back, covered in blood, as Dumbledore kneeled over the girl on the couch. That was his girl. He never really told her, only hoped she knew. He was regretting never telling her right now. Tears started forming in his eyes.

Harry appeared behind him and placed a hand on Ron's shoulder, taking in the scene before him. Ginny then walked over from next to their best friend. She hugged Harry and whispered "sorry," to Ron, who appeared to be paralyzed with fear and sadness.

Dumbledore returned to his feet and began speaking. "It is a spell. It's some very dark magic that I, unfortunately don't know too much about. I have however slowed the bleeding. It is a miracle she is alive right now. Miss. Granger is a fighter, we should be proud of her. She need's rest however and we will monitor her frequently."

"Who did this to her?" Ron spoke from the door. No one had noticed his or Harry's entrance. Everyone remained silent and looked around at each other, except for Dumbledore, who had turned back to Hermione. "Who did this to her!" He yelled furiously.

"Ron?" A tiny voice from the couch squeaked. Hermione's blackened eyes were barely open. Ron ran to her side and grabbed her hand.

"Hermione I'm here. I'm here, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." The tears in his eyes fell freely. "Who would do this to you? Why would they do this to you?"

"Mr. Weasley perhaps we should discuss this in the kitchen?" Dumbledore suggested lightly.

"I'm not leaving her side," Ron stated, "I won't ever leave her side. Now who did this?"

Molly stepped forward to comfort her son. She placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up with tear stains on his face. He knew the answer without her having to say a word. 

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A/N: Your reviews are the greatest! I'll try to update everyday but if I don't you shouldn't worry! Just a hectic time in the life of a college student. Until next time faithful readers!


	4. Something Wicked

"Why?" That was the question that Ron kept asking. A question to which no one seemed too keen on answering. They gave him the expected answer: she was the one who was least protected, she was the most vulnerable. He didn't know how to respond. He should have protected her. Instead she now lay even more vulnerable on his couch in pain, so much pain, that he couldn't take away. He couldn't bear to know that she felt like that.

"What do we do now?" Harry asked from across the table. They had migrated into the kitchen as Hermione was falling asleep, leaving Ginny to watch over her and help her change her clothes.

"Is that even a question? We kill that bastard. We make it hurt like he hurt Hermione!" Ron slammed his fist on the table to make his point causing everyone to jump.

"Ron dear," his mother started, "we want him to pay for what he did too. We just can't be too hasty with it. One mistake and it can get somebody killed."

"Your mother's right Mr. Weasley. We will get Voldemort but all in good time." Dumbledore tried to ease the tension in the young boys mind. "Now if you will excuse me I must go and meet with Hermione's parents and explain the situation to them." He politely stood up and with a quick crack he was gone from the room. After his departure Mrs. Weasley stood up and headed towards the fridge to prepare brunch for everyone. Harry and Ron went into the living room.

The two boys pulled up chairs to sit closer to their fallen friend. Ginny shot a light smile to them and headed into the kitchen to help her mother.

Hermione lay still on the couch, presumably asleep. Her chest moved in and out slowly, she seemed to be having some trouble breathing. Her face was all cut up and her arms were bandaged to the best of Mrs. Weasley's ability. She looked disturbed, in agony. She looked like she belonged in a morgue.

"This is all my fault." Harry whispered. "I saw it all happen, Ron. It's because she's friends with me."

"No it ain't mate. This is no one's fault except for Voldemort. We have to find a way to make him pay. They don't understand," Ron said pointing to the kitchen. "I want revenge. Hermione didn't deserve this." Ron's words were full of hate and rage. When he looked down at Hermione her eyes were slightly open causing Ron to smile.

"Hey," he whispered down to her, looking guilty.

"There will be no revenge seeking Ronald," Hermione said, barely making out the words. "That goes for you as well Harry." She smiled slightly trying to lift her hand but to no avail. "We have to wait. If we don't someone could get hurt and if it's one of you two I will be very irritated." This made the boys smile for the first time in hours; real smiles.

Suddenly Hermione started shaking, making the smiles disappear from their faces. They immediately jumped up screaming for help. Out of the kitchen came Mrs. And Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Fred, George, Lupin, and Tonks.

"What happened?" Lupin questioned the two boys as Mrs. Weasley and Tonks hovered over the quivering girl.

"She…she was talking to us and…and then she started shaking." Harry spoke as Ron stood helpless. As soon as the fit started it was over and Hermione lay unconscious once more on the couch.

"It's okay," Tonks responded this time, "she was just going through a bit of shock. She'll be okay. Just watch her carefully. She needs her rest. Be sure to keep her warm."

xxxx

Several days passed and Hermione's demeanor hadn't changed much. The gashes that covered her body were slowly healing. The bleeding had fully stopped. When she was awake she couldn't stay awake for long. Her torment had left her weak and she still remained vulnerable. She couldn't walk without Ron's help and could barely eat. When she would talk it would wear her down causing her to need more rest.

Time wasn't moving fast enough for Harry and Ron. Hermione wasn't healing fast enough. No one was coming up with any plans to attack Voldemort or make any kind of moves. They were growing impatient.

"We have to do something. No one else seems to be doing anything." Harry was saying to Ron as Hermione tried to eat some solid food. She was sitting up, but not without help from Ron.

Harry nodded his head. The moment he stopped his head started hurting, the pain coming from his scar.

_He stood in a crowded room, surrounded by Death Eaters, including Bellatrix and the Malfoy's. Each of them held their masks in their hands. Harry stood in the middle surrounded by these hooded figures. He was silent but pacing back and forth, wand in hand._

"_The girl lived," a voice that was not his broke the silence. Everyone started chatting around him, as if in shock. "But that will not deter us! She is currently with the boy and some members of the Order in a secret hiding spot. Lucky for us I know where that is. She brought me there and although I could not see it i could sense it was there. We will block all means of exits including Floo powder and apparation. Then we will attack and kill any who get in our way. The boy, however, is mine. Keep him alive."_

Harry came to and realized his friends were staring at him. "We have to get out of here before they come."

"Who's coming Harry?" Ron asked.

Hermione looked at him crookedly. "Really Ron? Do you really need to ask who?" She shook her head and turned back to Harry. "When are they coming?"

Almost immediately they heard loud cracks coming from all around them outside the house. Although an answer from Harry was not needed he still spoke.

"Now."

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A/N: Once again thank you for the reviews! Please keep it up!


	5. This Way Comes

Within moments everyone appeared in the living room. Through the windows the hooded figures that Harry had seen in his vision were now standing outside, unable to see the Burrow that was in front of them. Yet they completely surrounded them and vastly outnumbered them.

"We have to get out of here" Ron said holding Hermione closer to himself.

"We can't," Harry spoke before anyone else could get a word in. "Everything is blocked. We can't use Floo or apparate. They can't see us in here but it's not long before they start throwing spells out and breaking the barrier."

Everyone silently agreed. They had to fight and find a safe place to make an escape. Unfortunately they couldn't contact Dumbledore and tell him the situation they were in or send an owl out for help. They were alone. Molly decided it would be best to travel in small groups. Arthur would go with Fred and George, Molly with Ginny and Lupin, and Tonks with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"You two are going to have to support Hermione," Tonks told them as they were preparing to head out. "It's not safe to leave her here or for her to be on her own."

"I'll be fine," Hermione squeaked from under Ron's arm. "I can't slow you guys down."

"You won't be slowing us down. You're still weak Hermione and they know that. You three are each other's best defense. You all support each other. I am proud to have you all on my team." Tonks saluted the trio, gave them a wink, and led them out of the house. Everyone found a different exit and headed out, just as curses began flying outside. They were ready to fight, not that they had a choice.

"Remember to not get separated from your groups!" That was the last thing they all heard as they headed out into the newest battlefield. The magical barriers that once surrounded them had collapsed leaving them all in harm's way. Almost immediately the Death Eaters moved in, swarming the groups that exited from all different directions. This separated the Death Eaters from each other, making them more susceptible.

Harry saw everyone running in opposite directions with the hooded and masked figures following not too far behind. He and his friends were in the same position, only they were a little slower with Ron trying to hold up Hermione. Tonks had been firing spells from the back of the pack, hitting a few Death Eaters and knocking them out. Some, however, appeared in front of them, causing them to stop in their tracks. Three stood before them and three stood behind. It was six versus four. Hermione straightened up and pushed off of Ron, standing on her own slightly ahead of him, holding her wand steady. Ron kept one arm behind her just in case, the other clutching his wand pointing at the Death Eaters before him. Harry and Tonks faced the three behind them, patiently waiting for them to make a move.

"Well well well look at what we have here" exclaimed a familiar deep voice. It was a voice that made Hermione shake and Ron very mad.

"Malfoy" Ron spat through clenched teeth, pointing his wand specifically towards him.

"Weasley and Miss. Granger, so good to see you again. Didn't think I would have the pleasure" he spoke as he pulled off his mask and took a step towards her.

"Come any closer and I will kill you!" Ron too took a step forward, moving parallel with Hermione.

"Easy there Weasley" came a female voice from next to the eldest Malfoy. "That is no way to speak to a superior. Some of us aren't blood traitors." The voice belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange.

"We got 'Arry Potter back 'ere sir" said one of the Death Eaters facing Harry and Tonks.

"I could've told you that" Bellatrix shouted at him. "We'll worry about him later. He isn't going anywhere. We can't have fun with him like we can with the other three. Isn't that right Nymphadora?"

"Then make your move Bellatrix" Tonks said from over her shoulder, still facing the three in front of her and Harry.

"Why in such a hurry? Do you have better places to be? Do you have other things to do?"

"Enough Bellatrix" Lucius spoke, silencing his sister-in-law. "Now mudblood, let's finish what we started." He took another step closer which proved to be a wrong move as Ron, full of rage, shouted out the Cruciatus Curse. Malfoy dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. Everyone seemed to be shocked, so shocked that no one realized that they had not made a move in nearly a minute. Once they realized the situation curses and spells started flying. Harry and Tonks aimed for the same Death Eater who fell to the ground instantly. The other two had tried to disarm them but instead sent them flying twenty feet away. They followed them over the hill and out of sight. Bellatrix shot a spell at Ron, causing the curse upon Lucius to cease. Hermione had disarmed the other Death Eater in front of them and "Stupefied" him and was now facing Bellatrix, whose wand was pointing at Ron. Ron's wand was still on the eldest Malfoy.

"The moment you utter a word consider your boyfriend dead." The words that Bellatrix uttered scared her: both the thought of Ron's untimely death and the thought of Ron being her boyfriend. That's what she really wanted, all she had wanted for a while. She felt her knees start to wobble; all this running was taking its toll on Hermione's vulnerable state.

"Do it Hermione" Ron coached her, turning away from Malfoy, proving to be a mistake. The moment Ron looked away Lucius recovered his wand and shot a spell at him, disarming him. The tables had turned and now the two Death Eaters held Ron against Hermione.

"This is certainly something wouldn't you say Lucius?" Bellatrix asked her brother-in-law, turning her wand towards the young witch.

"I do believe it is" he responded, his wand at the red-head. "Remember our time together mudblood? Why don't we show your boyfriend here how it happened." He knocked Ron to the ground but kept his eyes on Hermione, his mouth beginning the phrase that she feared the most.

"No! Leave him alone!" Hermione shouted as she moved her wand from Bellatrix to Lucius. "I'll do anything. Hurt me instead of him please" she pleaded with him.

Ron looked up from the ground shocked at what he had heard. He knew she would help him but to put herself in harm's way for him; that was something extraordinary.

"No don't you touch her! You can have me!" he begged as he received a hard kick in the stomach from Malfoy.

"Ronald shut up."

"Lucky for you" Bellatrix interrupted, "that you are both going to die. We merely came for the boy with the silly looking glasses." She raised her wand a little higher. "Now watch this boys." She shot a curse towards Hermione who quickly countered it. "To the death mudblood." Bellatrix wanted a duel and that's what Hermione was going to give her.

Ron watched helplessly as the girl who he longed for dueled with one of the worst witches in history. Every time he tried to stand Malfoy would shove him back to the ground with his foot in a not so gentle manner. The two witches were really going at it. Every once in a while one of them would be sent flying but they would immediately recover and keep the duel going. They seemed almost like equals. For every spell Bellatrix shouted at Hermione, Hermione would yell one back and vice versa. For Ron this seemed to last for hours. One wrong move would mean the worst.

Suddenly Hermione fell to her knees and her wand fell to the ground. Ron could see in her eyes that it wasn't a spell but Hermione's body giving out on her. He was surprised she had lasted as long as she did. Bellatrix walked closer towards the fallen witch who remained on her knees, her eyes heavy with fear and pain. Ron's heart dropped.

She raised her wand in the girls face. "Game over" Bellatrix whispered.

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A/N: Thanks once more for your thoughts! Hope you all enjoy! Please review!


	6. First Kiss

"NOOO!" Ron screamed at the top of his lungs as he pulled away from Lucius and dove in front of Hermione. "Don't." Her hands were on the ground, holding her up. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes were closed as her head faced down.

"You were supposed to watch him Lucius" Bellatrix said with a smirk on her face, as if she knew this was going to happen. "You knew the rules Weasley and so did she. I win and now she dies."

"She's right Ron." Hermione had lifted her head and was staring at him. "I lost. I couldn't keep up."

"I say just kill them together." The eldest Malfoy walked steadily toward his sister-in-law and the teenagers.

"It wasn't a fair fight and you knew that." Ron stood up and turned toward to the two Death Eaters. "She could kick your ass in a duel in a heartbeat but you only chose to fight her because of what he did to her. You are a coward Bellatrix, nothing but a coward."

Bellatrix stepped forward slapped him and placed her wand under his chin. "You dare talk to me like that? You are nothing but a traitor to your own kind."

"Better to be a traitor against you and protect her than to be a murderous bastard like you" Ron spat in her face.

"AVADA KED-" the angry witch started but never finished. Her wand went flying away from her, as did her partner's wand. From the hill Harry and Tonks appeared running towards them. As they got closer, Lucius and Bellatrix disappeared with a loud crack leaving their wands behind.

"They could apparate?" Harry questioned Tonks once they arrived next to Ron and Hermione.

"Either that or the spell wore off. What happened?" Tonks directed this toward Ron who was picking Hermione up.

"A lot" he said. "Let's get somewhere safe and I'll explain."

"We'll go to Grimmauld Place seeing as that is our meeting spot. Everyone hold on." Harry and Ron each grabbed a hold of Tonks' hand. Then with a loud crack the world around them disappeared.

xxxx

"How did you all manage?" Harry asked as everyone settled down in the living room. No one seemed to be very badly hurt, just a few minor scrapes here and there. Hermione was asleep on the couch, her head rested in Ron's lap. He very gently stroked her hair.

"There were a lot of them but they weren't too bright. I think the fact that we had split them up really confused them." Molly came in carrying a tray of tea explaining her story. "Lupin, Ginny, and I stunned three of them right off the bat. Once we did that we didn't bother to run much further. We stayed put and fought the next four that came."

"Greyback didn't know what hit him" Lupin added "and neither did Yaxley." He gave a little wink to Ginny.

"Same went for us" Arthur interrupted. "Fred and George were great out there. I figure they sent the stronger ones after you four since Harry was with you. Yet we couldn't turn back to check on everyone. It was as if they cast a spell to keep us from you."

"They probably did those gits" Ron said. "I swear if I meet them again they will pay."

"Ron you cast the unforgivable curse on him" Harry reminded his best friend.

"RONALD WEASLEY! You did WHAT?" Mrs. Weasley screamed at her youngest son, spilling some tea on the floor.

"I had too" he defended himself. "He was going to hurt her."

"What happened when we went over the hill Ron?" Tonks asked and suddenly the entire room was facing him in silence.

"It all happened so fast" he started. "They were going to hurt me but Hermione stopped them. She…she said to hurt her instead. I got mad at her for that bit. That's not right of her to do. Then she told me to shut up. Even in the worst situation she's the same. Then Bellatrix challenged Hermione to a duel. She knew she was weak that's why she did it. I tried to stop her but Lucius kept kicking me down. She was doing really well Hermione was. Then something happened. She must've gotten real tired because she collapsed. And then she went to kill her but…but I wouldn't let her. And then you guys showed up and here we are."

Everyone stayed silent not knowing exactly what to say. The only thing that could be said was how they were all grateful for the outcome: no one injured and no one dead. At this point everyone decided it was best to head off to bed. Ron and Harry stayed up as Hermione still slept on Ron's lap.

"You really like her don't you" Harry asked his best friend.

"Yeah I do mate. I always have. I just have no idea to tell her." Ron looked down at Hermione and smiled. She looked so peaceful as she slept.

"You already did though."

"What do you mean Harry? Have you gone bonkers? I just said I haven't told her yet."

"Ron, you risked your life for her. Do you honestly think that she doesn't know that you are madly in love with her? It's not every day you find somebody who is willing to risk their life for you."

Ron gave Harry a confused look and asked, "So how do I know if she likes me then?"

"I see how she gets annoyed with you."

"He's certainly not an easy one to work with" Hermione said from Ron's lap, eyes still closed.

Harry got up and started walking down the hall and pretended to yawn. "I am getting awfully tired. Goodnight guys." And with that he disappeared into a room, leaving Hermione and Ron by themselves for the first time in a while.

Hermione slowly sat up and looked at Ron. She smiled at him, put her hands on his face and softly kissed him. It wasn't long but it was their first kiss together and both of them felt that it wouldn't be the last. When they broke apart Ron was wide-eyed with a goofy smile on his face.

"Ronald, I have liked you for the longest time. I would do anything for you including risk my life for you. The first thing I thought about when…um…when you know, the first thing was you. That's why I ended up outside your house. I needed to see you. The safest place I know if is with you."

"Ay Hermione, I was so afraid when I saw you like that. And I was mad. That's why I could cast the  
Cruciatus Curse. I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again."

They hugged each other and lay down on the couch and slowly slipped into a deep sleep, the best sleep either of them had gotten in at least a week and quite possibly the last time they'd get a good sleep in a while. 

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A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. I hope you like it! Another one coming soon. Please review!


	7. Planning

Morning seemed to come too soon. Everyone begrudgingly got out of bed and headed into the kitchen where chairs were set up all around the table, ready to discuss the details on what to do. They were joined by a few more people. Sitting at the head of the table was Dumbledore with Moody and Kingsley on either side of him. They were also joined by Bill and Charlie Weasley, Sirius Black, Fleur Delacour, Hagrid, and Severus Snape.

"It seems that Voldemort is keen on taking the offensive, not that we didn't know that" Dumbledore started the meeting. "But I believe that if we caught him and the rest of his Death Eaters off guard and put them on the defensive they would have a hard time recovering."

"I agree with you Dumbledore" agreed Lupin. "They have always been so interested in beating us to the punch that they don't know what it's like to be ambushed. Everyone has always lived in fear of them and they won't see this coming. We'll prove that we aren't afraid of them."

Sirius spoke next. "I must admit I've never seen you so adamant about going on the offensive. I rather like it. However what are we going to do with kids?"

"Hey we aren't kids!" Harry and Ron protested simultaneously.

Dumbledore held his hand up silencing the two boys. "Indeed you aren't kids but you nonetheless are still underage. You are all very valuable assets and this will not be a time when we will defeat Voldemort but merely scare his followers hopefully into fleeing, giving us time to find a way to go about defeating him. I assure you that none of you will be missing anything important."

"I agree with Dumbledore" Hermione said putting her hand on top of Ron's. "I'm not ready to fight yet and even if I was it would be stupid for us to go. It's just a scare tactic and we don't need to be a part of it. We can look into how to defeat Voldemort for good instead."

"Good to see one of you has sense" Snape said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

The discussions went on for another half hour or so. They decided to attack the next day at dawn. With some help from Snape they discovered the location of the Death Eaters hideout. Once everything was sorted out everyone went their separate ways. Some stayed while the majority went on with their lives as normal, trying to keep their plans under wraps. They were to meet back to Grimmauld Place later that night to prepare.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ventured back into the living room. They weren't too excited about being left behind but understood why. As long as they were involved in the final fight they didn't mind sitting this one out.

Harry was the only one who it still bothered but tried to understand. "So how do we go about figuring out how to defeat Voldemort? If we had a clue then we wouldn't be in this situation. So where do we look?" He asked bitterly.

"No need to be bitter mate" Ron consoled him. "Do you think we really want to sit here and read books while everyone else is out fighting? We just have to be patient."

Harry nodded. "I suppose you're right."

"Don't hear that too often do we now?" Hermione giggled, easing the tension. Then she grabbed Ron's hand and kissed him on the cheek causing him to blush. "We look in some old texts and not the ones you find at the front of a library. Dumbledore already gave me a few to look through. He said Kingsley 'borrowed' a few from the depths of the Ministry."

"Nothing I like to do more than break the laws" Ron joked.

Harry laughed and added "'Cause we don't do that enough."

xxxx

The hours passed slowly. The trio had spent most of their time skimming the pages of the old books. Ron and Harry had decided to take a nap after not too long into reading. Hermione seemed to be so into reading when they awoke they decided not to bother her. She seemed to have been doing better, minus the physical wounds that still littered her face and body. Ron kept staring at them using them as a reminder that he would never let anything hurt her like that again.

Periodically the others started arriving to prepare for their morning attack. Once there they would acknowledge the trio then head back into the kitchen to which Hermione, Harry, and Ron were forbidden. Ginny had joined them once everyone had begun to arrive and was helping them read through the books.

After a while however they became tired and retired to their respective bedrooms. Ron walked Hermione to her and Ginny's room and wished her a goodnight and once more kissed her, this time a little longer. Then Harry and Ron went to the bedroom that they were sharing.

xxxx

"_Which one is more vulnerable?" He hissed angrily. _

"_The mudblood is" responded the greasy haired man that stood before his eyes. "She is still healing from the last attack."_

"_Why would we go for the same person as last time? She didn't prove useful." The intrigued voice questioned._

"_No she didn't my lord. However it has come to my attention that she found some important information while reading earlier. As of right now she is the only one aside from Dumbledore who knows."_

"_And what does this information concern?"_

_The dark haired man looked down at the ground and then around him. "It concerns your fall my lord."_

_Anger flashed through his mind as many thoughts came to the surface. "Bring her to me."_

xxxx

Harry sat up straight and grabbed his glasses. Without even thinking he jumped out of bed and tried waking Ron up who was just as stubborn asleep as he was awake. After what seemed like ages Ron reluctantly got out of bed. "What is it Harry? Is something wrong?"

"Follow me. Hermione's in trouble" was all Harry was able to get out as he raced out of the room and down the stairs to the girls room. He could see out the window that the sun was popping up. It was dawn meaning that no one but them was in the house. When they reached the room Ron immediately barged in to find that the two girls lay peacefully in their beds.

"Nothing's wrong here Harry. She's asleep" Ron whispered. Harry knew that she wasn't safe for much longer.

"HERMIONE!" He shouted waking her and Ginny up. "We have to get out of here. I don't have time to explain. We have to get somewhere safe."

"Harry what are you talking about?" Ginny questioned the frantic boy.

"I believe he is talking about me, Miss. Weasley" said the voice that was not only familiar to Harry but to all of them.

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A/N: Not a full 24 hours later but i figured i might as well add it now. Thanks for the reviews and please continue to do so! They brighten my day and your kind words bring me joy.

1) I never liked Severus Snape personally so I decided to make him a true death eater so i apologize if that upsets anyone.

2) I felt bad when Sirius died so let's just pretend it never happened.


	8. I love you

Before them stood Severus Snape, the potions instructor they had grown to despise. The feeling was obviously mutual.

"Don't you ever get tired of this?" Harry questioned the older, greasier man.

Snape smirked. "Don't you ever get tired of eavesdropping Potter? Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about you and don't act like you're the greatest person to walk this earth."

"Where did that come from? Harry did nothing of the sort" Ron spoke up from behind Harry and Ginny while standing in front of Hermione.

"I don't need this from a bunch of students. Granger you are coming with me."

"Like hell she is" Ron shouted. He pushed Hermione behind him even more. He could feel her shaking slightly behind him scared of what was to come. Cracks echoed through the room coming from all sides. Once more they were met with Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Can't find anyone else to do your dirty work can you?" Ron spat out.

"It's done best when it's done by me" Bellatrix grunted back with a slight cackle.

"Why do you want her this time?" Ginny demanded after pulling out her wand as had everyone else in the room.

"That's really none of your concern is it now little girl" Bellatrix snickered. "Now we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way."

Tension filled the room. Hermione's shaking grew worse as tears started to build up in her eyes. Everyone in the room noticed. Ron grew scared while Lucius, Bellatrix, and Snape all smiled at her actions.

Harry felt guilty. He was the first one to speak. "I'm right here. Why don't you just take me? Aren't I the one you want to kill?"

"It's not that simple Potter. If it were you would be dead by now, as would everyone else in the room. But we don't have time for this so Bellatrix grab the girl and we will be off." After Snape's words Bellatrix apparated over to Hermione and took her hands and disappeared. What she hadn't realized was that Hermione has holding Ron's hand, providing Bellatrix with a little extra baggage.

xxxx

Ron awoke to the sound of whispers. He wasn't sure what had happened but by the looks of things he wasn't at Grimmauld Place anymore. He was somewhere much darker and more ominous. The source of the whispers were nowhere in his sight and he couldn't make out what they were saying. That's when he remembered what he had forgotten, everything that happened in the bedroom. Immediately he searched the room for Hermione. He saw her in the far corner of the dungeon. Her eyes were closed and she was lying on the ground face down. Ron tried to walk towards her. He soon found however that he was tied down by chains attached to his legs.

"Hermione" he whispered trying to wake her up but not wanting to alert anyone else that he was awake. Her eyes fluttered open. It took her several moments to realize the situation.

"Oh my goodness" she whispered, slowly standing up. "Ron, are you all right?" She tried to walk over only to realize that she too was shackled to the wall. "I don't remember what happened."

"It was Snape remember? He was at Sirius' place. Then Bellatrix and Lucius came" he managed to get out as he tried to figure out the situation himself. "Hermione, why do they want you?"

Hermione breathed in heavily after remembering while preparing answer to Ron's question. "When you and Harry took a break from reading and took a nap I found something, something really important."

"What is it? What did you find?"

"I can't tell you Ron" Hermione answered hesitantly. She knew Ron was going to question her further but she continued on. "If I tell you then they'll hurt you. That's what they're going to do to me and I can't let that happen to you."

Ron was flabbergasted. He wanted to know. He wanted to take Hermione out of here and to some place safe. He knew what was going to happen to her and needed a way to keep them from getting her. They didn't have much longer before someone showed up.

"Please Hermione; you've got to tell me. I can protect you if you tell me. I can stop them from coming after you."

"If I tell you then you'll be hurt. I can't tell you. Please understand." She sat back down facing away from Ron, knowing that it hurt to keep a secret from him but knowing that that secret was the only thing keeping him safe.

"Listen to me," he ordered, "I love you Hermione. I love you so much and the thought of them hurting you is killing me right now. I can't let them do that. I can't bear to hear you scream or cry or see you in pain. You need to understand that."

Tears formed in her eyes and started pouring down her cheeks where Ron couldn't see. He had said he loved her and she wanted nothing more than to tell him that she loved him too. She loved him more than she could express in words. But something was stopping her: the situation. If she said it that could put him in a worse position than he was already in and they would use that against her. She couldn't do that. "Me too Ronald," was all she managed to whisper before the doors opened and footsteps approached them.

"Good to see you're awake" said Wormtail. "The Dark Lord requests your presence mudblood." He walked over to Hermione and silently muttered a spell causing her to stiffen. After he cast the spell he undid her restraints and walked her up the stairs while the whole time Ron shouted in protest. Not too long after Wormtail came back down.

"You're wanted too Weasley" he said as he proceeded to do the same to Ron that he had to Hermione.

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A/N: Slightly shorter and I apologize for that as well as all the mistakes that there may be but I have a big final I must complete. Please review and thanks for the previous ones!


	9. Cowards In Control

Once the spell was taken off of Ron by Wormtail he noticed his surroundings. The room was lighter than his holding cell but not by much. He noticed the tinted windows and the sun on the other side. Everyone would be back from their surprise visit and probably wondering where he and Hermione were. Hermione! He looked around the room frantically for her. She wasn't in his direct line of sight but he knew she was there.

"Where is she you creep?" He questioned the sad excuse for a man. Wormtail merely smirked and walked out of the room.

"Be patient Weasley" spoke a voice from the other side of the room. Bright hair appeared before his eyes, hair that he had known since his first meeting of the boy. Draco Malfoy was the same height as Ron but his face didn't look at all confident. His eyes seemed to be pointing behind him. Ron followed his stare which led him to Hermione.

She was kneeling on the ground in silence. Her eyes however seemed to scream for help. She was fully aware of what was to come but didn't want to show it. Ron sensed her fear as her eyes met with his. That's when the fear seemed to disappear. He nodded his head and noticed Hermione give a nod back along with what seemed to be a smile.

Wormtail reappeared with a hooded figure behind him. Ron knew exactly who it was as the room grew colder and darker. The figure walked up to Hermione and pulled down his hood, revealing his pale, angry face. He lifted his hand exposing his wand which he held pointed towards Hermione. Her eyes were still locked on Ron's. He felt like she was speaking to him, telling him not to scream or do anything stupid. He stood there in silence as Voldemort began to speak.

"You may have lived once," he said, "but next time you won't be so lucky. Now it appears that you have a piece of information that I seem to lack. You will give it to me or you will suffer."

Hermione raised her head for the first time and looked Voldemort in the eyes. "I'm not afraid of you."

It was a phrase he heard her say at their last meeting. It obviously angered him. "Fear has nothing to do with this mudblood. This is a matter of information that I need. If you don't tell me then I will make it bleed out of you."

"If that were the case then why not just do that then?" Hermione asked confidently. "Why do you bother to even ask when you know I won't tell you? You're a coward, afraid to hear the information I possess."

Everyone was shocked by the tone that Hermione spoke in, especially Ron. A smile crossed his face as he thought _that's my girl_. Voldemort on the other hand didn't approve of her defiance and grabbed her by the neck and picked her up until her legs dangled a few inches off the ground. Ron's smile vanished.

"I implore you to say it again mudblood. I dare you to say it again." His eyes grew red with rage. The words coming out of the girl in his hands mouth were mumbled as the air in her lungs began to deplete. Swiftly he threw her to the ground and pointed his wand at her. "What was that?"

Hermione, who was back on her knees with her hands to her throat, looked up at the man that had just threw her down. She smirked and said "You are a coward" as she stressed each word of the judgment that she passed.

Voldemort shouted the word at the top of his lungs. As the green light hit the girl on the ground he smiled at the pain he knew he was inflicting. He smiled because he was showing her that he was in control and not her, no matter what she chose to say. He smiled because the traitor was screaming at him to stop, to not hurt her.

Ron tried to run to her but was stopped by Draco and Wormtail. He saw her collapse on the floor and start convulsing in pain. But he noticed that she wasn't screaming. Even in the worst of times and the worst of pain she refused to give Voldemort the satisfaction of her screams.

Voldemort released Hermione from the spell causing her to stop convulsing. She laid on the ground with her eyes closed taking in the damage. She knew that more of this was to come and was preparing herself for it. Ron's screams echoed in her head. What hurt her the most was that he was witnessing her pain. She knew that because of her pain he was in pain. Her on the floor in pain was an image he wouldn't soon forget.

"One more time Granger I beg you. Show everyone in this room why I am not someone to cross." He pointed his wand over at Ron. Hermione's eyes widened. "Say it again." Hermione breathed in heavily as she tried to think of something, anything to stop him from hurting Ron.

"Give him what he wants Hermione. I ain't scared" Ron encouraged her as he stared into Voldemort's beady eyes.

"Yes listen to your boyfriend mudblood" Wormtail spoke from besides him.

Hermione reluctantly gave in this time not so confidently, "You're a coward."

Voldemort grinned and lowered his wand. "Now that you understand the rules of my game let's get back to business shall we? Wormtail bring the red-head over here." Wormtail clutched Ron's arm and dragged him over to Voldemort. He tried to reach done to Hermione but was held back by the Dark Lord.

Once more he pointed his wand at Ron and spoke to Hermione. "Every time you choose to defy my orders mudblood let's just say something bad will happen. But not by me, oh no, but by him" he pointed to Ron.

"I will never hurt her!" He exclaimed upon hearing this as a slap crossed his face.

"But you will. And until the girl tells me you will be mine." This time he raised his wand higher as recognition crossed Ron and Hermione's face. "_Imperio_." Ron fought as he lost control of his body. He still had his thoughts but we could no longer run or talk on his own.

"Raise your hand" Voldemort said bluntly as Ron raised his hand. "Excellent. Now slap the girl."

Ron's thoughts raced as he tried to fight his body but to no avail. He moved closer to Hermione and he saw tears falling from her eyes. Tears, he was sure, for him and what he was about to do. He felt his hand come down and sweep across the soft, wet face that was Hermione's. Anger filled him as he took a few steps back after committing what he swore he would never do.

"Let's get down to business then" Voldemort said as his grin grew to a smile.


	10. Through His Eyes

Ron sat in a room somewhere within Malfoy manor, as he had come to learn was the name of his penitentiary. He was finally released from the curse that made him a prisoner within his own body. He cried silently to himself as he stared at the stars outside his room knowing that Hermione couldn't see them from where she was. He recalled the events that led him to this time.

_He had just slapped her. He didn't mean to and didn't want to but he did. It wasn't his fault. Then Voldemort started talking. "Let's get down to business then" he had said with a devious smile on his face._

_Ron noticed out of the corner of his eye Hermione crying hysterically. He knew things were about to get much worse than they had thought they were. She clearly knew too._

_Voldemort turned to Ron. "Now Weasley, I heard that you have perfected an unforgivable curse. This makes you an excellent candidate to help pry some information out of this mudblood. That's why I was glad to see that you arrived with Bella, saves me from doing all the dirty work." Then he turned to Hermione. "As for you, you aren't so lucky. What did you do with the book after you read it?"_

_Hermione stiffened. She was beginning to shake in fear but still spoke. "I burned it" she practically whispered._

"_You burned it you say? Now why would you do a thing like that?"_

_Her eyes darted around the room looking for any possibility of an escape. She didn't appear to find any as she responded "So you would never find it."_

"_Well that was your biggest mistake now wasn't it? Weasley perform the Cruciatus curse on her for her 'mistake'."_

_Ron's heart sank as Voldemort spoke these words to him. He was about to do the unthinkable to the girl who he had just admitted to loving. He tried to fight his impulses but they weren't his to control as he received a wand from the man that controlled him. The time seemed to slow down the moment he felt the wood in his palm. Hermione looked into his eyes as they silently pleaded with him to not do it. He was the last person she wanted to cause her pain and he knew that. _

_His arm rose. He noticed the reflection of himself in her eyes. That boy in the reflection was not him. It looked distant and cold. Before he uttered the word that would ruin his life he noticed Hermione's eyes lose all hope. He saw the girl he loved disappear right before him as she became hopeless._

_As the word left his lips she crumpled to the floor in pain because of him. Ron wanted to die that very moment. He had done the unthinkable, the unforgivable. He would never forgive himself. He wasn't sure if Hermione even would. _

"_Release her," Voldemort commanded and Ron's curse ceased to affect the girl that lay on the ground. "And what was in those books?"_

_The girl on the floor remained still as she spoke "Wouldn't you like to know?"_

"_Don't play smart with me girl! You don't have much time. The more you delay the more pain you feel from the hands of your boyfriend" Voldemort retorted very angrily._

_Hermione sat up, her body still in pain with some lasting effects of the curse that she had just been released from. "You can't hurt me anymore than you already have" she spat back. "You've done your worst."_

"_We have only just begun," Voldemort responded. He conjured a knife and handed it to Ron. "She has yet to scream, why don't you make her?" It was then that he realized that she hadn't screamed when he had cast the unforgivable curse on her._

_He felt the coldness of the knife in his hands. Once more he fought his own body, trying to stop the actions of the knife as it was being thrust forward into Hermione's shoulder. He screamed as loud as he could but not a sound could be heard. He tried to cry, cry like Hermione was crying as the blade was pulled out of her. Not a tear formed in his eye. Blood however was on his hand, her blood._

He was snapped out of his thoughts. He had control of his body now and the tears were falling uncontrollably. The blood was washed out of his hands but he could still feel its warmth, a constant reminder of his actions. He couldn't bear to think of all the other things he had done to her. All the blood she lost because of him. He fast forwarded to when he left her alone.

_Ron was in disbelief of what had happened. He was scared for Hermione's well-being as her body ached. He would never forgive himself for doing such awful things to her. He would never forget the look in her eyes as all the hope left them. Hermione wasn't in there when he left her. Instead he left someone else there, someone who needed help._

_Draco led Ron into a room that was furnished. It contained a bed, windows, even a bathroom. He had no idea why he was being treated better than dirt. But his questions were soon answered by the boy that led him there. "You may be a blood traitor but you're still blood" he explained. "The Dark Lord believes that as long as you're under his control that you should be treated properly and kept at your strongest."_

"_What about Hermione? Is she back in the dungeon?" Ron questioned Draco, a slight quiver in his voice._

"_Yes," he stated bluntly, "she is still a mudblood and will be treated as so."_

_Ron stepped farther into the room. He didn't dare to try to escape while Draco was still there, that might make things worse on himself and Hermione. A question popped into his head. "You don't still believe this foolishness about her being muggleborn do you? I mean you've seen all these horrible things and you still want to become a Death Eater?"_

_Draco looked stunned by the question. "It's not that simple Weasley. It's in my blood. My father is well respected and I cannot defy his legacy. No I don't believe that you or Granger deserved to be treated this way but I have no other option and I'm sorry." With that Draco headed out the door but not before leaving Ron with some parting words. "Don't try leaving this room. It'll be magically sealed. If you try then Hermione will be hurt. I'm going to get her now and bring her to the dungeon." The doors closed leaving Ron to his solitude._

He lay down on the bed and looked out the window. He wished on the stars to find a way to get Hermione out of there, to heal her emotional and physical wounds that he induced. He wished for peaceful dreams as his eyes drifted closed.

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A/N: I felt really inspired while writing this chapter and I would really appreciate your reviews on it. Thanks for all your support thus far.


	11. How She Sees It

Hermione lay on the cold, wet floor that was her chamber. Thoughts raced through her mind as she justified everything that had just occurred. _It wasn't Ron who did that,_ she reasoned, _it was Voldemort. Ron promised he never would. _No matter how many times she told herself this fact it continued to plague her.

She was in physical pain as well as emotional. The marks on her body that caused her to bleed and were caused by the blade had finally slowed down. Once she was back in the dungeon Draco had helped her slow it. She wasn't too sure as to why he was behaving nicely but she was in no position to deny his actions. As she reached for the injury on her shoulder she was reminded of the day's events.

_Ron's hand had just left her face. Her face began to sting as she was sure there was now a red mark where his hit landed. None of that fazed her. What hurt was that it was Ron who had done it. Yet it wasn't him at all. She saw him disappear. It was merely someone else, Voldemort to be precise, who was borrowing his body. The realization hit her that this was only the beginning of what she was about to endure._

"_Let's get down to business then" Voldemort said with a devious smile on his face. She saw him turn to Ron and begin talking about how he had perfected the curse that he had previously set upon Lucius Malfoy. She had known the moment he had cast that curse that things would be slightly different. She never imagined to what extent._

_Voldemort then turned back to Hermione. "As for you, you aren't so lucky. What did you do with the book after you read it?" He asked her as her body grew tense. She noticed that her hands had begun to shake with anticipation and slight fear._

_She was afraid to give the answer. Hermione thought back to what she had read and the comprehension of how vital it was. She immediately began memorizing it as she read the same passage multiple times. After she had committed it to memory she threw the book into a fire that she created in the fireplace. It was too dangerous to be left for anyone to read. She then proceeded to tell Dumbledore, who advised her not to tell anyone else including Harry and Ron, what she had found. Suddenly she became aware that they weren't alone. Snape was there as well._

"_I burned it" she whispered having just grasped why she was in this position._

"_You burned it you say? Now why would you do a thing like that?"_

_Her eyes looked everywhere as she searched for the man who put her here. She wanted to hurt him, to kill him for doing this to her and Ron. She wanted him to see the pain he was causing his two students. _

"_So you would never find it" was all she managed to say as she became aware of his absence._

"_Well that was your biggest mistake now wasn't it? Weasley perform the Cruciatus curse on her for her 'mistake'."_

_Hermione's heart began to race as did her thoughts. She watched as Voldemort handed him a wand to which Ron accepted, no emotion on his face. She needed more than anything to see in his eyes the feeling of fear for what he was about to do. She needed a sign that Ron was still in there and he would not hurt her._

_His eyes were dark. They weren't his eyes. There was no sign that he even recognized who she was. She wanted him to say that he loved her again, that he would never hurt her. But his actions proved otherwise as his arm rose and he spoke one of the most feared words in the wizarding world._

_Time stood still as the green light was heading for her body. It was then that she realized that all hope was lost. She felt her heart break and her eyes sink just as the curse hit her. She felt her body hit the ground as pain encompassed her. It was overwhelming but it wasn't what hurt the most._

_She knew the boy whose wand was pointed at her was not the boy she loved. It looked like him but it wasn't. She only hoped that he would one day be himself again. She didn't want the person borrowing his body to be the one to kill her, anyone else but Ron, her Ron._

_After what seemed like hours Voldemort finally said "Release her." Ron lifted his wand stopping the curse. The pain however didn't go away. "And what was in those books?"_

_Hermione refused to move. She didn't want to look up at the boy who caused her all this pain. She knew it wasn't him but she couldn't help but to be heartbroken. She never imagined a torture like this._

_Still on the ground she said "Wouldn't you like to know?"_

"_Don't play smart with me girl! You don't have much time. The more you delay the more pain you feel from the hands of your boyfriend" Voldemort retorted angrily._

_These words cut her at the core. She knew there was no worse pain to be felt. The worst had been done. She would have rather died than be tortured at the hands of Ron. He was always her savior, her salvation. He was her happiness and her sanity. Now he was gone, temporarily, and things would never be the same even if she survived._

_Hermione sat up, her body still suffering some of the lasting effects of the curse. Her eyes turned black as she spoke. "You can't hurt me anymore than you already have" she spat back. "You've done your worst."_

"_We have only just begun," Voldemort responded with a smile. He conjured a knife and handed it to Ron. "She has yet to scream, why don't you make her?"_

_She didn't even notice how silent her thoughts had kept her while Ron performed the Cruciatus Curse on her. Instead she had focused on trying to find the boy she left behind in the dungeon, the one who said that he loved her and the boy who she loved more than life._

_Hermione saw Ron take the knife into his hand and step towards her. She hoped that maybe he would suddenly appear and instead stab the man behind him. He didn't._

The tears hadn't stopped nor had her pain. She gently touched her shoulder where the blade had first been. She removed her hand and noticed the blood lightly seeping through the makeshift bandage. The blood was on her hands as it was on Ron's. Slowly she reached for her neck to feel the scar that had began to form.

_Blood continuously poured from her shoulder but she knew it wasn't going to kill her. If he had wanted her dead she would have been by now. He was just trying to make her suffer until she couldn't take it anymore and surrender the information that he was seeking. What he didn't know was that she had given up but would never give up what she knew._

_Ron stepped towards her once more and picked her up off the ground and threw her into the nearest wall. He pressed the knife into her throat, just enough to draw blood and hurt but not nearly enough to kill her. Once more she looked in those black eyes to search for the Ron she knew. She still couldn't find him._

_For hours this continued. Ron would manhandle her on Voldemort's orders. Then he would draw blood by stabbing her or just simply press the knife somewhere fresh. Before she knew it the sun was going down and Ron was led out. She was left alone in the room surrounded by her own blood and tears. After what felt like ages Draco came back and led her into the dungeon from which the nightmare had started._

"_We can't leave those open" he said pointing to the large gashes on Hermione's body. He quickly left and returned with some bandages and carefully helped slow the bleeding._

_She was astonished at his actions. Never had she assumed that the one helping her would be Draco Malfoy and the one hurting her would be Ron. He touched her wounds gently and treated her with kindness, something that she hadn't received all day, something that she desperately needed._

"_Why are you doing this?" She questioned her classmate. "You've never treated me like this before, why now?"_

_He just looked at her, no emotion in his eyes, and said "Not even you deserve this. I've never seen anyone in so much pain. He is a coward you know? It's not easy worshipping someone who can only take someone on if they're weak to make themselves look strong. Anyways, if you ever tell anyone that I was nice to you, you will regret it."_

"_Thank you Draco" was all she managed to say as fresh tears sprung to her eyes._

_He started to walk out but turned back around and faced her. "That's not Weasley. I know you know that but I think you need to be told. He would never do that to you. He would never hurt you like that. Sometimes all you need is a little reminder to find hope." With that he turned back around and headed up the stairs._

She lay on the cold floor still. Those words Draco had said replayed in her head. She knew that Ron would never hurt her. She knew it wasn't him and for once in his life, Draco was right. It was then that Hermione realized how exhausted she truly was. She gave into the feeling of fatigue as darkness consumed her tattered body. 

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A/N: You're reviews were truly great and you have no idea how much I appreciate every one of them. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I never hated Draco so I decided to give him a shot. Until next time all!


	12. Down the Stairs

The sun shined through the window into his eyes waking him up. He chose not to move. He didn't want a repeat of the previous day and thought that if he didn't move than nothing would happen. He knew however that that wasn't possible.

Ron sat up and looked out the window. There weren't many clouds in the sky and the sun reflected off of the snow that had fallen recently making it appear brighter. He thought back to Hermione the night his parents had found her and the snow that had turned red. He imagined her in the basement the same way.

A knock on the door caught his attention. He stood up and walked over to the door. "Who is it?" He asked hesitantly.

A voice responded "Me Weasley."

Ron cautiously opened the door letting the youngest Malfoy into the room. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was a mess. He looked as if he hadn't slept all night.

"Are you alright Malfoy?" Ron asked trying to show some kindness to the boy who had been trying to help him out.

"It's none of your concern" he responded briefly. He added "The Dark Lord wants to see you soon for…" he paused trying to describe the things that were to be done. He then continued "…business. If you're not out in twenty minutes than someone will be in to force you out. Meet in the dining room which is down the stairs on the right."

Ron didn't care however. His thoughts drifted back to the one thing that he did care about. "How's Hermione?" He asked.

Draco simply kept his eyes on the ground as he headed back out the door only saying "You'll see her soon."

Ron slammed the door behind him, angry for not getting a straight answer. He was afraid to see her the way he was going to. He wanted to see him as himself and not as a prisoner. More than anything he wanted to see her somewhere else, somewhere safe.

Slowly he turned back to the door and opened it. He realized that the curse that bound him to the room must have been lifted since he was asked to meet them soon. Carefully Ron surveyed the surrounding areas only to realize that he was alone. He walked out and headed down the stairs where Draco had told him to go but instead of going right he went left. He cautiously looked around once more to make sure he was alone and headed towards stairs that led down further. It was here that he noticed bars.

As he approached them his thoughts wandered. He knew what he was going to find but was afraid to see. He reached the bars and looked around. In the corner he saw a sleeping figure with brown hair and covered in blood.

"Hermione!" He screamed as softly as he could. The girl before him didn't stir scaring him a little. He called her name once more, a little louder. This time she picked up her head and looked towards Ron. At the sight of him her eyes widened and she quickly jumped up, wincing in pain as she did so, and ran towards him. She reached through the bars and grabbed his hand. He noticed tears in her eyes.

"Ron is it you?" She asked, afraid that it was the same Ron she had encountered the day before.

"It is Hermione, I swear it is" he said trying his best to hug her through the bars. He pulled her as close as he could without hurting her. "I'm so sorry" he whispered over and over. That was all he could manage to say as he too began to cry.

"It's okay" she assured him. "It wasn't you. I saw you go away and someone else take over. I love you too Ron. I know it wasn't you." It was the first time she had told him. But they couldn't dwell on that just yet no matter how happy it made them.

Ron could feel her cold skin against his and she was gently shaking. He didn't want to let her go but he leaned off of her a little to get a better look. He noticed the covered wounds that were strewn across her body by his hands. The blood was seeping through. Her face was pale and her eyes were filled with pain and tears.

"I'll get you out of here Hermione. We'll find a way" he said to her as he squeezed her hand tighter. She tried to squeeze back but could barely do so. This was the first time Ron sensed how helpless she was.

Hermione looked down at their hands and then back up with a heartbreaking look on her face. "I didn't scream" she said. "I can't do it in front of you or them. If I scream I will be pleasing them and hurting you. I won't do it."

Ron hushed her and brought her back in for a hug. He whispered in her ear "Don't worry about it. You don't deserve to be in this much pain. It's not fair. I swear I'll figure it out."

A hand gripped his shoulder and spun him around. Ron came face to face with Draco as Hermione had fallen to the floor. "What are you doing? If you get caught you'll be killed. Get upstairs" Draco said as pushed Ron up the stairs.

Ron walked up the stairs backwards as Draco forced him up the stairs. The last thing he saw was Hermione looking up towards him as he turned the corner as her eyes turned dark. 

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A/N: I'm sorry it's so short and that it's a little delayed. It's the most dreadful time of the year: finals week. So once it's over hopefully the updates will come up faster. Please review!


	13. A Different Day

Time passed but she had no way of knowing how much. It was the same routine on a daily basis. She woke up, was tortured to a certain point, then thrown back into the dungeon to further her punishment. She was left weak and wishing for death as a means for an end but Draco came around every so often to help try and heal some of her injuries. It was the only decent contact she had with someone since her last meeting with Ron. Since then he hadn't been around aside from when he was under Voldemort's control. Draco had refused to tell her any details as to what was going on other than that he was as fine as he could be.

Hermione was still nowhere near telling Voldemort the information that he was seeking. But she didn't know how much longer they would keep her or Ron alive. His torture sessions were beginning to grow shorter while still inflicting as much pain as the very first day if not more. He was obviously growing impatient and bored of his own methods. It was apparent they weren't getting him any closer to his answer.

The sun was coming up; Hermione could see the reflection of it from the windows at the top of the stairs. She had lost track of time and hadn't slept at all that night. Her pain and thoughts kept her up. She had a worse feeling about what was to come as Lucius Malfoy came down the stairs this morning instead of Draco.

"Up mudblood" he shouted as he opened the bars that held her captive with his wand pointing at her.

She stood up slowly as she lost her footing and began to stumble back towards the ground. Pain was all she felt as her thoughts raced as to why Draco wasn't the one getting her. He was Voldemort's stooge so why use one of his more respected Death Eaters instead?

"I said up!" Lucius shouted catching Hermione off guard and snapping her out of her thoughts. She realized then that she couldn't hold herself up. Every time she stood she fell back down angering the older Malfoy to the point where he cast a spell on her that lifted her into the air. "Stupid mudblood" he said as he led her up the stairs to her second torture chamber.

Xxxx

Ron was going mad with all the pain that he was causing Hermione. He constantly screamed but no one ever heard and no one ever answered. He had so much blood on his hands that would never go away. He wished desperately that he could see Hermione and talk to her as himself and not someone third party, to let her know they'd be out of there soon.

He awoke with the sun shining in his eyes. It was a routine he had grown accustom too, no matter how terrible it was; it wasn't like he had a choice. This particular morning was different however. He had only just woken up but everything felt different. That's when the door opened quickly and in walked Bellatrix smirking wildly.

"Up ya get Weasley" she hissed. "It's going to be a very special day for you."

Ron begrudgingly got out of bed and followed her. Unlike Draco she was pushy and vicious. She shoved him as hard as she could out the door and slammed it shut. She kept her wand pointed firmly into his back and kept saying that today was going to be very exciting.

As she led him to the room that was most familiar he grew queasy. Draco wasn't the one leading him here and he was the only one who was nice. It wasn't normal for Voldemort to send Bellatrix, his favorite follower, to retrieve him, something had to be up.

The moment they reached the room he noticed Hermione being dropped to the ground by Lucius Malfoy. He immediately ran over to her and to his surprise he wasn't stopped.

Ron felt to the ground and grabbed Hermione in his arms for the first time in a long time. He noticed how much weight she had lost as he held her tight. He smoothed the hair out of her eyes and became aware of her looking at him with a look of fear.

"It's me 'Mione" he whispered as he put his head against hers.

She lifted her arm and lightly brushed his cheek. "I know" she whispered with a tear falling from her eye while a small smile appeared on her dirty face.

"Enough of this" Bellatrix stepped in. "It's a very special day for the pair of you. Today's activities will be very wonderful."

"What do you mean?" Ron questioned from the ground keeping Hermione in his arms. He refused to let her go any sooner than he had too.

Bellatrix smirked but Lucius answered. "You are no longer of any service to us Weasley. You won't be put under the Imperius Curse." Ron was happy to hear this bit of information as he pulled Hermione in tighter as Lucius continued. "Instead you will duel to the death on your own free-will. You lose you die."

"And what if I win?" Ron asked hoping the answer was something good.

Lucius smirked this time. "IF you win then you are free to leave."

"Alright then, who is my opponent?"

Ron turned his head to the right and noticed a familiar figure walking in. It was the one person who had kept him sane throughout this whole ordeal. It was Draco Malfoy. 

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A/N: Another short chapter and I am sorry for that. But now that finals are over I am back home and surrounded by never-ending family and friends. I try to get a little in every night so the updates won't be everyday but I'm shooting for twice a week at least. Anyways please review and if you don't hear from me than a Happy Christmas to everyone and any other holiday that you may celebrate!


	14. The Duel

Draco walked over to his father without an emotion on his face. Ron noticed him look at his father and then to Hermione. When his eyes met Ron's he was quick to look away. Ron wasn't sure what to make of this situation.

"You seem shocked Weasley" Lucius noted out loud.

Ron still held Hermione in his arms and looked down to her for help. Slowly she sat up trying to loosen the grip of Ron's arms around her. "What's going on?" She asked the question that he himself couldn't figure out.

"We know what my nephew has been up to" Bellatrix butted in. "The Dark Lord has graciously decided to give him one last chance to prove himself."

They all knew exactly what she was talking about. Draco had been helping both of them and they finally discovered the truth. Now he was to be punished, maybe. It was a copout to try and save his family name. It was no doubt Lucius' idea. By the look on Draco's face he wasn't too thrilled about this idea.

"What are you waiting for then? It's time to fight!" Bellatrix shrieked eagerly. She ran over to Ron and pulled him up by his shirt. He had no choice but to let go of Hermione, leaving her on her knees on the floor. She tried to stand up but fell back to the ground in pain.

Bellatrix led Ron to one side of the room while Lucius dragged his son to the opposite. After providing Ron with a wand she turned back around and took her place next to a fallen Hermione as did the older Malfoy.

Ron stood there stunned. He felt the wand weighing his hand down. Across the room Draco hadn't moved either. He merely held the wand in his hand and looked toward his father he gave a slight nod with an angry, disapproving look on his face. His aunt however wore a wild grin as if she were a young child in a toy store. She was ready for a show.

Once more Ron focused on the girl on the floor. She seemed to be withering away before his eyes. Her sadness was the most prominent thing about her. She wasn't the same girl from last year anymore. She had been to hell and back. It was his turn to protect her. If he won he could get her out of here, even if it was against the one boy who had showed him kindness when it was needed most.

He looked over at Draco and realized that he had just turned his attention toward the red-head. "I'm sorry you're in this position mate" Ron said as evenly as he could.

"I don't want to do this" Draco responded. "Any of it. I have no choice."

Ron took offense to this however as he shouted back "You always have a choice! You're in this position because of choices. Hermione is laying there because of her unselfish choices. She was brave so why don't you take a lesson from her and learn to stand up for yourself?" He didn't realize how red in the face he was getting from sharing his opinions. Draco looked down, hiding his face from Ron's view.

"ENOUGH!" Lucius bellowed as he stomped his foot inches from Hermione's face. "On with it" he commanded.

Again Ron looked over at Draco and raised his wand. Draco did the same. Briefly their eyes met and a look of sorrow arose in Draco's eyes. To Ron he seemed desperate in seeking his father's approval, even if he didn't agree with his decisions. He felt sorry for his classmate but not enough to risk Hermione's life.

Before shouting out a spell Ron took a deep breath in and focused on the blonde in front of him. He didn't want to kill him but didn't want to be killed either. He had to play this out the best he could for both their sakes.

Suddenly a blue light came into his sight and knocked him square in the chest. He flew a few feet back into the wall. He quickly regained his composure and shot back a similar spell to the one that just hit him, causing a similar reaction from Draco. Without delay Ron shot another spell in his direction but missed as Draco rolled away from it and aimed another at Ron who fell to the ground instantaneously. He tried to open his eyes and realized that he couldn't. Immediately he went into a panic attack and started stepping forward.

"RON!" Hermione shouted from the side. He heard a slap and assumed that it was from Lucius to her. Even after he heard the slap she proceeded to yell out a spell to counteract what Draco had just done. He pointed the wand at his eyes and recited the spell that Hermione had just told him, regaining his eyesight. The first thing he saw was Lucius delivering a swift kick to Hermione's stomach.

He raised his wand at Lucius and was about to fire a spell when he was sent flying into the wall. His attention had drifted back to Draco as he saw another spell coming at him and swiftly rolled out of the way. Ron shouted a spell and watched as Draco's wand flew out of his hand to the far corner.

Carefully Ron moved in closer keeping his wand pointed at the defenseless boy in front of him. He knew what he was supposed to do to win but he couldn't bring himself to mutter the words. Taking a life wasn't something he thought he could do, even if it was a Malfoys'.

As he came up next to him he lowered his wand and extended his hand towards him. Draco seemed skeptical as he started to reach his hand towards Ron's. Before he could Ron fell to the ground convulsing and screaming in pain.

Hermione laid there in shock as Malfoy senior had uttered the curse that struck the red-head. She didn't wait too long before she kicked him as hard as she could in the shin and ran towards Ron, no matter how much pain she was in.

Once she was by his side she dropped to the floor and took him in her arms. He was breathing heavily having just been freed from the curse. A smile crossed her face. She was happy to have him near her and for him to be his normal self.

As he sat up he hugged the girl who had saved him. He held her close to himself as tears began pouring down his face but not from the pain that still lingered. Rather from the fact that he was holding Hermione.

Unbeknownst to them Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix had approached them with their wands at the ready. Draco had finally stood up next to Ron and Hermione.

"Prepare to die Weasley."

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A/N: Alright I am sorry that I am ending it here folks. I just want to have a good starting point for the next chapter. Please review and a Happy New Year to all!


	15. Lets Make a Deal

Lucius' words caused Ron and Hermione to turn their attention towards him and his cackling sister-in-law.

The young witch was the first to respond. "What do you mean?" She questioned. "Ron won."

"He failed to kill Draco and now he has forfeited by associating with you mudblood." Bellatrix smirked as she began to circle the three kids while repeating the term "mudblood" multiple times.

Ron's face dropped as those words were said. He replied angrily "That's a load of rubbish. I won fair and square before you cursed me." He tried to stand up but Hermione kept him down. This he ended up being glad for as some pain still loitered in his body.

The eldest Malfoy shot a look that could kill towards Ron as he spat back "But you weren't going to kill him were you?"

"There's no need to kill him. He lost, we all knew it. Only I chose not to be a bastard like you." Ron defended himself.

"It was a duel to the death," Bellatrix cut in. "And since you didn't kill Draco you therefore forfeit."

Ron was growing impatient. "It's not fair," he fought back, "I won and you interfered." He felt as though he was talking in circles with the two death eaters who scoffed at him.

The grin on Bellatrix's face widened as she stopped circling the students and approached Hermione. Ron held her tightly as Bellatrix's hand grasped Hermione's and pulled her to her feet. "Leave her alone!" Ron shouted as he tried to stand up but was shot down by Lucius and his wand.

"Need I remind you" Bellatrix started, "of when I dueled with the mudblood? Someone interfered in that did they not?" Ron was baffled as he remembered this all too well. Hermione's eyes winced in pain as she too remembered the duel to which she had lost. "And If I remember correctly I won. That means that I get to kill the mudblood!" She raised her wand at the young girl and tilted her head in curiosity with a devious smile on her face.

Immediately Ron sprang to his feet, avoiding all the pain that still lingered. "You can't do that!" He nearly shouted. Quickly he grabbed the wand that he held before the spell that Lucius had cast on him and pointed it towards Draco.

"And why not?" Bellatrix questioned him.

The truth was he didn't have much of an answer. He knew Hermione was planning on sticking to the agreement she made that day, she was ready to accept defeat, but he couldn't allow that. He couldn't live without her. His choice was to not kill Draco because he knew he couldn't kill anyone. Plus Bellatrix and Lucius weren't about to accept a trade of Draco's life for Hermione's. Draco had lost and he was to pay the consequences in their minds, as was Hermione. The choices had already been made.

Hermione looked defeated. Her head was hung low as Bellatrix continued to smile at her and pressed her wand into her prisoner's throat.

"How about a deal?" Bellatrix took Ron's silence as defeat. She held all the cards in her hands and Hermione's life was her ace. "You don't want your precious mudblood to die and to be honest I enjoy playing with her. Her life is mine anyway since I beat her in a duel."

"BULL!" Ron finally spoke up. "You only won because she was weak and you took advantage of that!" Nothing he said would persuade Bellatrix to think any differently, especially since this fact seemed to not penetrate Bellatrix's understanding.

Furiously Bellatrix threw Hermione to the ground away from Ron and pointed her wand at her. "You dare to talk to me like that?" She questioned angrily. "Crucio!"

Hermione writhed in pain as Ron stiffened in shock. Before he could turn and cast a spell on the witch who held his girlfriend captive, the wand was no longer in his hand.

Draco walked forward positioning the wand in his aunt's direction. "Let her go," he said with a slight hesitation in his voice. Bellatrix grinned and released Hermione from the curse.

On the ground she curled into a ball trying to hide the tears from her eyes. Once more she was put through hell and once more not a single scream left her lips.

"What is it Draco?" Lucius asked curiously. "You don't have any right to acknowledge her. You failed in your mission and for that you should be punished."

"Father I understand that I lost as did Granger but you can't kill her yet. She holds the key to The Dark Lord's victory. If you kill her now we won't ever know how to win."

Ron looked on in astonishment. He had assumed that Draco was on his side, he had just spared his life after all and this was his payment? "What are you pulling Malfoy?" Ron asked as he made his way over to Hermione.

Draco grinned manically. "What I'm saying is that if we want to know what she does than killing her isn't the best idea. As for you Weasley, you aren't very helpful anymore."

The anger was building up in Ron at the words this traitor had spoken. He had just saved this kids life and now he was talking about killing him. Ron felt helpless. But beside him the feeble girl began to speak up.

"Ron beat you. If you want to stick to your ideas that I lost my duel then you have to honor the fact that Ron beat you." Hermione was now sitting up staring directly at Draco, no emotion crossing her face.

Bellatrix exchanged looks with Lucius. They both remained quiet for some time, processing the ideas that had been presented to them.

Quietly, Ron whispered to Hermione "What's going on?"

"Don't worry Ron. It will all be okay. When they let you go, go straight to your mom and Harry. There won't be much time."

They were abruptly interrupted by Bellatrix who turned back to Ron and Hermione.

"Very well then. But don't think that we won't kill you Weasley. We just won't kill you this time. I promise you if I see you again I will kill you."

Ron looked at Hermione who was smiling. That was the last thing he saw before blacking out.

xxxx

A/N: Still writing! Please review and I will update as soon as possible. It's back to school for me. Thanks everyone.


	16. Honor

When Ron awoke the first thing he noticed was the sky. He hadn't seen it from outside in what seemed like years. Everything was so much brighter as the sun shown down strongly into his eyes, nearly blinding him. When he got his bearings he realized he was in the middle of a wooded area.

Quickly he tried to recall the last thing he saw that gave any clues as to what happened. Slowly the realization came to him: once more Hermione saved him. The only difference was that this time she was smiling. He had a feeling that this was planned but he still didn't want to leave her.

He got to his feet and began to walk. He wasn't sure where he was heading just that he had to get somewhere fast. Hermione had planned for his escape but what had she planned for after that? Ron wasn't sure but he remembered that she had told him to find everyone and that's what he intended on doing.

xxxx

After Lucius left with Ron, Hermione and Draco were left with Bellatrix. Draco's face had turned white at the realization that his aunt would be the one staying behind and Hermione's smile was no longer there.

"My brother-in-law may be dumb enough to fall for your tricks but I'm not" she stated as she walked towards the teens. "I don't know what you two are planning but I promise you it won't work."

Draco backed up silently as Hermione spoke up. "You may not want to play fair and be honorable but we do. You have me isn't that what you wanted? I lost our duel and Ron won his. And since you get to keep me it's only fair that Ron went free."

Bellatrix still smiled at the young witches words. "Yes I do still have you," she started. "But what to do with you is the question. I know you won't give us the information we need. If you haven't already why would you do so now?"

"Then why did you agree?" Hermione asked even though she knew what the answer was going to be.

"We may not be able to get any information out of you," Bellatrix's smile grew. "But I can still work on making you scream."

xxxx

Everything looked the same as it did hours ago. Trees were everywhere and the sky was still bright blue. He had been walking for what seemed like hours but it looked as if he hadn't gone anywhere. Ron was lost and he hadn't the slightest idea what to do. Time was of the essence if he intended on saving Hermione.

He decided to sit down and put things into perspective. He was lost. He had no idea where he was going but he knew what he had to do. Finding Harry and his mom would mean helping Hermione so how could he achieve this?

Quickly he reached into his pocket and realized that Lucius had given him his wand. He raised and cast a spell summoning an owl. He bent down and picked up a leaf. Using his wand he wrote a brief note and attached it to the owl.

"Bring this to Harry Potter. I don't know where he is but I know you can find him. Please hurry." And with that the owl flew off, leaving Ron alone with the sun slowly setting in the distance and him drifting into a deep sleep.

xxx

Hermione was against the wall, fresh cuts littered her face. She knew what she had gotten herself into. Bellatrix wasn't as dumb as the Malfoy's when it came to honor and sucking up to Voldemort. She would never have let Ron go had it not been for Lucius, who didn't want his only heir to die no matter how much of a failure he seemed to be. Draco had mentioned this one of the times he had retrieved Hermione and used it to help them. Luckily Hermione had caught on.

This time Bellatrix was being more vindictive. Every spell hurt twice as much and lasted twice as long. The only way to stall for Ron was to hold out and not scream but Hermione found this tasking growing increasingly difficult. She held a wand in her hand, Bellatrix wanted her to put up a fight yet she had given her a broken wand. Obviously she didn't want a fair fight.

Still Hermione stood tall as curse after curse struck her. She would fall to the ground and scream only to herself as the pain enveloped her body. Once it was lifted she would find the strength to stand back up until the next curse.

Bellatrix was growing impatient and it showed in her face each time a curse hit Hermione and she failed to scream. "Why is it that you are the only victim I've had that hasn't screamed eh?"

"Because I'm not afraid of you," Hermione said defiantly.

Once more Bellatrix raised her wand and cast a curse upon Hermione only this time she flew across the room and down a set of stairs. Pain coursed through her body and she felt her surroundings growing dark. She realized that a set of bars had stopped her. She looked behind them and saw Draco sitting in the far corner. He had been expelled to the dungeon so Bellatrix could have her fun. He looked up and gave Hermione a sad look.

Bellatrix appeared behind the fallen witch and cast a spell that lifted Hermione into the air and away from the bars. As she looked down she saw her own blood falling to the ground. She knew she couldn't stay conscious much longer.

Suddenly the door at the other side of the room opened revealing Wormtail. "The master would like a word Bellatrix," he cowered.

Bellatrix released the spell that suspended Hermione in the air and she crashed down onto the floor causing her to fully lose consciousness.

xxx

Ron was awoken suddenly by a loud pop from behind him. Quickly he grabbed his wand and turned around to reveal Albus Dumbledore standing in the darkness. Relief filled Ron as he realized that help was finally here.

"Mr. Weasley I do believe we have a lot to talk about and not much time to do so. Now come here and we shall be on our way." Ron ran over to the elder wizard and grabbed his cloak as they apparated to a familiar place.

xxx

A/N: Chapter 16 in the books. Please review. I don't like to update if I don't have that many. Your reviews mean everything to me and really keep me motivated. Until next time everyone and have a Happy Valentine's Day whether you are single or not. Everyone deserves happiness!


	17. Two Months

When Ron opened his eyes having just left the forest he saw the place where he grew up. He hadn't seen the Burrow since the attack on it and was shocked that it still stood in its place. "Professor, is it safe to be here?" He asked after the initial shock wore off.

"All is well here now Mr. Weasley. You have been gone for quite some time and so have the Death Eaters. But just in case we put up a few extra barriers," Dumbledore assured the young wizard. "Now let's get inside. There's a lot you must fill us in on."

Ron approached his home as if it were a delicacy. He was hesitant to trust that everything was okay after everything he had been through. But there was no time to think about that.

As they entered the house Ron was immediately swarmed by his mother, who embraced him in the tightest hug he had ever felt. Her tears of joy covered his shirt as his father came behind him and put his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"You have no idea how worried we were son," he said as Molly finally released her youngest son.

"How long was I gone?" Ron asked.

Arthur and Molly exchanged looks. Molly was the one to answer bluntly, "Two months."

Ron was in shock. He had been gone for two months? It was amazing that he had escaped practically unharmed after such a long amount of time. Now he was back at his house as if nothing had happened. But he knew that wasn't true because Hermione wasn't here. "We don't have much time."

xxx

When Hermione awoke she realized that she hadn't been moved. She remembered Bellatrix being called away and she remembered all that had happened prior to that. Yet she wasn't sure how much time had since passed. Not much appeared to be different. The only variation she noticed was the lack of Bellatrix's presence, which was a good thing at this point. The longer she was gone the less time she had to be in pain. It also meant more time for Ron to gather everyone.

She tried to push herself up off the floor but realized how incredibly difficult it was. Pain shot up her arms and coursed throughout her body. She was amazed at how much pain one person could feel. Hermione had been measuring time through pain. She hadn't counted the days but instead counted the tortures and kept track of the variations. First it was Ron, then some Voldemort, and finally Bellatrix who turned out to be the most painful physically.

Still, nothing would erase the memory of Ron causing her pain. She knew it wasn't him and that he had no control but it would always be the worst thing she would ever feel. The look in his eyes was a look worse than death. It was his body but not him inside. It was her body yet all she felt was her heart breaking.

But that part was over and now came the end. She wasn't sure what exactly what was going to happen but this whole ordeal was almost over. Time moved slowly but every second still counted. Every second that passed was one second closer to seeing Ron and Harry and everyone else coming to save her.

Just then Bellatrix reappeared through the door on the opposite side of the room. Her presence radiated anger and joy all at the same time. This was probably due to the fact that she was just pure evil in Hermione's eyes. She was always happy when she was causing someone else pain.

She came right up to Hermione, lifted her wand, and raised Hermione into the air. "Looks like your little boyfriend will be joining us again soon. I have no doubt that this was your idea. The little brat isn't smart enough to plan an escape that risky now is he?" She questioned Hermione, whom she was spinning around in midair.

"Why? Are you scared?" Hermione spat back as she began to become light headed.

Bellatrix immediately spotted spinning her wand and dropped the young witch to the ground. "I'm never scared" she responded with confidence.

"That makes two of us," Hermione stated. Bellatrix's eyes turned red as a devious smile crossed her face.

xxxx

Ron recounted the horrific incidents of the past two months. Everyone listened quietly as they heard of all the details as Ron left nothing out. Everyone was horrified by the tortures to which Hermione was subjected to and was probably still be subjected to as they spoke. Harry's anger grew while Mrs. Weasley's eyes filled with tears.

"What do we do?" Ron asked when he was done filling everyone in.

"We kill the bastards who did this to you and Hermione!" Harry practically yelled.

"First we have to make sure Hermione is safe mate," Ron quickly responded. Hermione's safety at this point was more important than revenge.

"He's right Harry," Dumbledore interjected, "and I know you know that. Mr. Weasley you said you were taken to Malfoy Manor and that is where we shall head. I am certain they know that we will be coming. We will penetrate the defenses and head inside. Our priority will be locating Miss. Granger and getting her to safety. It shouldn't be too hard as you seem to know where she was being kept. But that is all we are to accomplish on this siege."

Harry was the first to respond. "We're only getting Hermione? Why wouldn't we just find Voldemort?" He asked curiously.

"Because Mr. Potter, she is the only one who knows how to defeat Lord Voldemort. We need her knowledge before attempting to do so."

With that everyone began conversing and coming up with plans. Ron was the only one who remained quiet until he whispered to himself "Hang in there Hermione, I'm coming for you."

* * *

A/N: Another chapter, slowly but surely the story is getting done. I don't update on a particular schedule, just when I can. But I do keep writing! So please review and until next time everyone.


	18. Back at the Manor

They stood outside of Malfoy Manor hidden by the trees that surrounded it. They were mere feet from Hermione, Ron knew that, but he also knew that she was guarded heavily. There was no doubt that Bellatrix had seen this coming, she wasn't as thick as Lucius.

Harry stood next to him. It was their job to find Hermione and get out. They were to stay back a few feet from everyone else until they were given the okay. Everyone had penetrated the gates that surrounded the manor, leaving Harry and Ron waiting.

"It's been a while mate." Harry stated bluntly. He was anxious to get inside as was Ron but they knew their job and they knew timing was everything. From inside the Manor they noticed flashes of light coming from the windows.

"They'll call us when they're ready." Ron stared intently at the window waiting for his moment to rescue the girl whom he loved so much. He just hoped she wasn't badly hurt but he knew deep down that she was.

"How are you?" Harry asked after a few moments. "We haven't really talked since you came back and I'm worried. You were gone for a long time and so much happened. There's no way your 100% fine after all of that."

Ron took his eyes off the window and looked at his best friend. "I'll be fine when Hermione is in my arms and safe. Then we'll ALL be okay and that's what's important." He glanced back at the window to see if there was a sign. When he realized there wasn't he turned back to Harry. "It was hard. It was probably the worst experience of my life and I can never take it back. It will forever haunt me."

"I'm sorry Ron," Harry responded sincerely. "It's my fault that it happened. If you guys weren't friends with me everything would be better."

"Like hell it is mate! If it wasn't for you I would have never met Hermione and I sure as hell wouldn't have such an amazing best friend." Ron moved closer to his friend and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You're the best friend anyone could have and I wouldn't change it for anything. The only people who are to blame for all of these things are Bellatrix, Malfoy, and Voldemort. I have been happy to fight by your side Harry and I know Hermione feels the same way. We wouldn't trade this for anything."

Harry and Ron hugged; their friendship would always be there, no matter what the situation. Harry wouldn't trade his friends for the world and he was glad that Ron felt the same. When the final battle did come he wouldn't want anyone else by his sides.

Just then out of the window came a patronus of a phoenix. That was Dumbledore's sign telling them it was time to move. Without hesitation they jumped from their hiding spot and ran inside. Once there they saw spells flying everywhere. They didn't stop to notice who was fighting who but instead ran to where Ron remembered last seeing Hermione.

As they reached the familiar room they noticed the sudden silence. From inside that room they couldn't hear anything. It was as if nothing was happening on the other side of the door. Ron realized that they had stopped dead in their tracks and then continued moving forward towards the stairs that led to the dungeon.

Harry looked at Ron who he had been trailing since entering the Manor. Ron looked back at Harry and nodded down the stairs. Immediately they reached for their wands which they had been neglecting and headed down.

When they reached the bottom they looked through the bars. Far off in the corner they noticed a small figure lying on the ground. Ron started pushing and pulling the bars screaming Hermione's name. Harry noticed that she didn't move at the sound of Ron's voice.

"Stand back mate," Harry said as he held up his wand and shouted a spell. The bars shattered giving the two boys an entrance. They ran to their fallen friend's side as quickly as they could. The good news she was breathing causing the two boys to let out a deep sigh of relief. Ron noticed that she was more beaten up then she was when he left her but he knew that she expected that; it was what brought them all together again.

"What's the plan?" Ron questioned Harry. They hadn't anticipated making it to her so easily. Yet with her in this weak state she wasn't able to walk.

"We'll carry her out," Harry responded. "You better do it; you're stronger than I am."

"And you're quicker with your wand," Ron smiled as he gently placed his arms under Hermione. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she started screaming and kicking causing Ron to take a step back. "Shh Hermione it's just me and Harry!" Ron whispered. Almost as quickly as he spoke she calmed down and gained control of her heavy breathing.

"I knew you'd come back," She said to Ron with a smile on her face, the equivalent to the smile that had just been on Ron's face. "Harry! I'm so glad you're here too." She sat up and gave him a hug for the first time in months, a fact that she had yet to realize.

Harry too let a smile cross his face. "We weren't just going to leave you behind."

She tried to stand up but let out a weak cry and fell into Ron's arms. "I'm sorry, it just hurts. I'll pull it together though."

"No I got you," Ron said with a smile, happy to have her back in his arms. He gently lifted her up and headed back towards the stairs. Just as they reached the stairway they were greeted by the voice they least wished to hear.

"What's the rush?"

xx

A/N: 48 days late, very short, but another chapter down. I'm really hoping to make the next chapter longer but it may take a little while consider I am in the home stretch of another semester. As always please leave your comments, I really appreciate them and I really hope you enjoy this little chapter!


	19. In an Instant

Bellatrix Lestrange stood in front of the trio with a large grin on her face; they hadn't made it to the steps yet. She was blocking the only exit as she said, "It's been a while since I've gotten to see you Potter."

"Likewise," Harry spat back keeping ahead of Ron and Hermione, "only I'm sure I enjoy that fact more than you do."

Bellatrix pointed her wand at the ground and shouted "Reducto!" The spell shattered part of the ground causing the trio to fly back in opposite directions. Ron was thrown to the far back left, while Hermione flew out of his arms to the right. Harry was the closest to the older witch in between his two friends. Bellatrix uttered a spell under her breath which neither Ron nor Harry could make out.

As soon as he regained his composure, Ron tried to run towards Hermione but was stopped immediately by an invisible wall. Harry too tried to run over to his friend who remained still and lifeless on the ground but ran into a similar wall. He then tried to head over to Ron but was met with the same problem.

"What have you done?" Harry screamed angrily.

Bellatrix smiled deviously. "I think it's time for you and me to have at it, don't ya think?" She stated bitterly.

Ron beat at the wall in front of him trying to break it down. Hermione hadn't moved and he was certain that the blast was too strong for her to handle, especially because of her weak and fragile state. He kept his eyes on her while occasionally glancing over at Harry. Ron knew Harry could hold his own long enough for him to find a way to overcome these walls.

"Good luck Weasley," Bellatrix spat. "Now Potter, we only have a short time before the Dark Lord shows up so let's have some fun." Bellatrix raised her wand, pointed it at Harry, and shouted a curse that sent him to his knees in pain. Harry let out a loud scream as his body ached. He felt like boiling water was being poured on him continuously until Bellatrix finally released him from the curse.

"That was far too easy. Your friend has yet to scream for me, but you, you are so much easier."

Ron was conflicted. He wanted to get to Hermione so badly, yet the walls kept him back. He wanted to be by his best friend's side to fight with him. He watched as Harry got back to his feet after the Cruciatus Curse and fired a spell back towards Bellatrix, which she deflected. Another spell was shot at Harry, sending him flying forcefully into the invisible wall.

"Well Potter, I thought you would 'ave put up a much better fight," Bellatrix said, sounding rather bored. "If it were up to me I would kill you. But it's not now, is it? It won't be much longer until the Dark Lord arrives."

Just as Bellatrix finished, Harry shouted the disarming spell, causing Belleatrix's wand to fly across the room. Quickly, Harry sent another spell towards the older witch. Immediately she flew into the cement wall with such force it sounded as if bones were broken.

"We've only just begun," Harry said defiantly. "Ron, are you okay?"

Ron responded: "Yeah mate. Don't worry about me. I'll figure this out. Just watch out for her. Are you alright?"

"I've been better and I've been worse." Harry's wand remained pointed at the fallen witch. "It's your move Bellatrix." Just then four hooded figures trotted down the steps, wands pointed at Harry.

"Well if it isn't Harry Potter," spoke a familiar voice. "I have waited so long for this day." Voldemort lowered his hood, revealing his hideous face. His eyes were piercing red and appeared to be looking deep into Harry. He waved off his followers with his boney, scaly hand. "It is time we have our final match."

Harry's face remained calm. His heart was pounding and his head was swimming with thoughts. This wasn't part of the original plan. They were just supposed to rescue Hermione and get out. Everything was going wrong. He turned around and saw Hermione finally starting to move, albeit very slowly and weakly. Ron was furiously banging at the invisible walls to reach his best friend, but nothing proved to be working.

Harry whispered to Ron, "I'll be okay." Ron simply nodded while slowing down his fists. He looked scared out of his mind but he knew this was how it had to go down. "Just find a way to get to Hermione," Harry finished and turned back to Voldemort.

"You may want to say your goodbye's now Mr. Potter," Voldemort smirked.

"I think it's you that needs to say goodbye Tom," Harry spat back.

Voldemort raised his wand and said, "I will make you suffer before I put you out of your misery. CRUCIO!"

A flash of green light spurted out of the Dark Lord's wand and straight at Harry, who fell to the ground writhing in pain. His blood was bubbling with pain. It seemed to last for ages before it was released. Harry took a moment to regain himself before he felt the same spell hit him with the same effects, only this time they seemed much more agonizing. Harry's screams filled the air.

Behind him Hermione was getting to her knees. She had just realized that Voldemort was there. She looked over to see Ron standing there not helping Harry, whom was wriggling on the ground in pain.

"Ron! What are you doing? Why aren't you helping him?" She yelled at him.

"I can't!" He shouted back. "There are invisible walls up. I can't figure it out."

Hermione looked around. She knew of this spell, she had read it somewhere, although at this moment she couldn't remember where. Frantically she searched for a wand. Hermione knew she had one when she was last thrown down there by Bellatrix. Pain was slowly seeping back through her body, the effects of Bellatrix's last spells lingering. Finally, in the corner, Hermione saw what she had been looking for. She ran back to the wall and picked up the fallen wand. Walking back over to where she was, she searched her mind for the counter spell. She could see Harry was back on his feet, exchanging spells and curses with Voldemort. It was obvious he was still in pain but he was ignoring it, trying to stay alive.

It hit her at that moment. She remembered where she had read this spell and its counter. Hermione was snapped out of her thoughts by Harry's screams.

Hermione raised her wand towards the wall and whispered a spell that made her part of the wall vanish. All of her actions were unbeknownst to Voldemort and the Death Eaters that watched eagerly the battle between Harry and their Lord. She stepped out from where the wall had once been, pointed her wand at Voldemort, and sent him flying back. His curse from Harry was lifted as Hermione helped Harry off the ground.

"Thank you Hermione," He said catching his breath. Hermione simply nodded, her wand still pointing at Voldemort. His followers had all raised their wands back at Hermione and Harry, waiting for an order from their leader.

"Well you certainly bounce back fast," Voldemort stated as he returned to his feet. "But we learned that in our time together." Once more Voldemort waved off his followers with his lifeless looking hand. "I believe that I can handle these two. Now mudblood, I believe you have something that I want."

Hermione responded, "If you haven't learned by now that I'm not telling you then you're not all powerful, are you?"

Continuously Ron pounded on the invisible wall that still separated him from Harry and Hermione. Harry looked back and noticed he was still trapped. "Hermione are you going to get him out of there?" He asked.

Hermione glanced over. She didn't want to let him out of there; he was safest behind the wall. But still she knew they would put up a better fight with him by their side. So, Hermione raised her wand and muttered the counter spell, freeing Ron. He rushed over to his best friend's side.

"Well know it seems we have an uneven match," Voldemort spoke bluntly.

"Are you afraid?" Harry asked.

"Don't make jokes Potter, this isn't a laughing matter. But I am afraid I must call some of my followers over for it wouldn't be fun if you didn't witness your friend's deaths." At this, Bellatrix, who had been helped, walked over with Malfoy. "These two I am sure you are all familiar with. And they will be the last people you three will ever see, besides me of course."

Bellatrix immediately fired a spell at Ron who, luckily, countered it at the last moment. Lucius had done the same to Hermione, who was not as fortunate. She was sent spiraling into the wall behind her. Ron tried to run over to her but was cut off by Bellatrix who had suddenly appeared in front of him, her wand already producing a bright green flash. Ron was sent to the ground writhing in pain.

Harry faced Voldemort, one on one. His friends both preoccupied at the moment. He raised his wand and began his duel, all over again, for hopefully the last time.

Hermione had struggled to get to her feet. The pain in her body hadn't subsided from earlier with Bellatrix and this certainly didn't help. Lucius had walked closer to her, but his attention was on Ron. Hermione saw him on the ground, screams of pain escaping his lips. She let her anger take over as she took advantage of Lucius' weak moment. A flash of green light shot out of her wand towards the blonde. He fell to the ground, just as Ron was, pain encompassing his whole body. This got the attention of Bellatrix who released Ron from his pain. She fired a spell at Hermione causing her wand to fly away from her. Bellatrix then turned back to Ron who shot a curse at her, her body flying back. Ron returned to his feet and followed Bellatrix further back into the room.

Hermione, after losing her wand, was met with a curse from Lucius. Her body went stiff and she fell to the ground. He walked over to her, her wand now in his hand. She couldn't move as he stood over her, taunting. He released her from the curse but kept his wand pointed at her.

Harry was on the ground. His wand was nowhere in sight. He looked defeated. Voldemort stood over him. "Well it looks like this is the end of the line for you Potter. It is time for you to finally meet your parents."

Ron looked behind Bellatrix.

Hermione kicked Lucius in the crotch.

Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry.

Ron ran forward.

Hermione got to her feet.

Voldemort uttered, "Avada. . ."

Ron was stopped by Bellatrix.

Hermione ran passed Lucius.

Voldemort finished, "Kedavra."

Harry closed his eyes.

Ron screamed.

Hermione dove.

xxx

A/N: Finally an update and thankfully a longer chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Please review.


	20. In Another Time and Place

Hermione's lifeless body fell to the ground with a thud. Harry stared at his friend who lay motionless in front of him. She had just lost her life to save his. Voldemort stood behind Hermione, a smirk crossing his face. Ron was behind Harry, yet everyone could hear him crying out Hermione's name.

Harry remained frozen in shock, the idea of what just happened sinking in. He had just lost one of his closest, most loyal friends and it was all his fault. Her body had yet to move; proof that she was no longer Hermione and she would never be again.

Ron was on his knees calling out for her. He could not believe what he had just witnessed. Hermione just sacrificed herself for Harry. The thought of not having her in his life began to fill his mind with rage. They were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together and now that was cut short.

Harry had yet to make a move. Voldemort's smile was sickening. Bellatrix was cackling her annoying cackle, chanting, "The mudblood is dead!" All of this began pushing Ron to his breaking point. He reached for the wand that he had dropped when he saw Hermione fall. Ron recalled all of the bad memories from the past few months. Hermione's last months were torturous and pain filled. She shed so many tears, Ron knew it. And now he was going to get revenge.

He pointed his wand at the unsuspecting witch's back. "Turn around," he said with bitterness. The moment she turned around to face him he saw the smile on her face. "Avada Kedavra!" He shouted. Bellatrix's smile quickly faded as the red light hit her. She fell to the ground just as Hermione had. "Go to hell," Ron stated as he kicked the dead body as hard as he could.

Lucius raised his wand, ready to fire at Ron. The redhead's attention was immediately caught by the movement of Malfoy's arm. Ron's eyes were dark and filled with rage. He had just killed a woman and had every intention on killing whoever else stood in his way. His life and love were gone with two simple words. Now everyone must know the same.

Before Malfoy could even utter a word Ron had said the two words that caused his world to end. The blonde's body hit the ground with a heavy thud, never again to cause pain.

Harry's eyes had not seen anything but Hermione. He was oblivious to the world around him and to Ron's actions. Voldemort's wand was once again pointed at Harry. He too was unaware of the other wizard's actions in the room.

"No worries Potter, you will see your mudblood friend again," Voldemort spat.

Harry finally looked away from Hermione's lifeless body into the eye's of her murderer. His red eye's showed no mercy and no fear. He had killed many others before but never had it affected Harry so personally. Sure, his parent's were murdered and he missed them dearly. But the truth was he never knew them. He was angry at Voldemort for taking away those moments he could have had with them, but this was so much more personal. Yet, there was nothing for him to do. His wand was nowhere near him; he was unaware of where Ron was.

Again, Voldemort uttered the words that no one ever wished to hear. A flash of red light was emitted from his wand making its way towards Harry, whose eyes were staring straight ahead. As the red light reached him, Harry fell to the ground, darkness encompassing him.

xxx

Harry's eyes shot open. He was in the middle of a familiar field, but he couldn't quite pinpoint where. The sky was a beautiful blue and there was a slight breeze. It was the perfect day.

"Hello Harry," a familiar voice said from behind him. Harry turned around and saw Hermione standing there smiling. Bruises and scars still covered her body, but she was there and breathing.

There was so much he wanted to say and he didn't know where to start. "How could you do that?" He started. "How could you risk your life for me?"

Harry ran over to hug her but when he reached her he went straight through her as if she was a hologram. "Harry you can't."

"Why not?"

Her smile turned to a frown as she looked down. "Because I'm dead."

Harry had forgotten that he too was hit with the killing curse, but now he was completely confused. "Hermione, he killed me too. Voldemort won and I lost."

"You haven't lost yet."

He was growing more and more confused. He stood here with her. If she was dead then obviously he had to be too. Nothing she was saying was making any sense. "Hermione you're not listening. The killing curse hit me just like it hit you."

"It wasn't the same Harry," Hermione said shyly. "You're the only one who can kill him. Not Ron, not Dumbledore, you. The world needs you to finish this."

"How can I kill him when I'm dead?" Harry asked, still confused.

"You had a vision of Snape betraying us. Do you remember that?" Harry thought back long and hard. When he finally remembered that it was right before Snape, Malfoy, and Bellatrix arrived at Grimmauld Place he nodded. Hermione took this as a sign to continue. "What do you remember about that vision?"

"I remember Snape saying something about you reading something. It was about. . ." Harry couldn't quite remember the last bit. "I can't remember," he sighed.

Hermione looked at Harry with a very serious look. "It was about him being killed," she replied. "I figured it out and I spoke with Dumbledore about it. Snape overheard some of our conversation but not all of it. That's why they kidnapped me. They wanted to know what I knew."

Harry was curious and couldn't hold back from asking. "What'd you find out?"

"You have to understand I couldn't tell you or Ron or anyone else. If I did you wouldn't have let it happen. It was the only way," Hermione rambled.

"What was it Hermione?" Harry asked with less patience in his voice.

"It's similar to what your mom did Harry. She risked her life to save you. By sacrificing herself she ensured your safety for some time but it wore off. When I dove in front of you I did something similar. He can't kill you. That's why you're here but not dead. Love is what triumphs Voldemort Harry, any kind of love. Love is what stopped him from killing you then and now. That's what I read. Sacrifices for love; it's what your mom did and it's what I did. The sacrifice creates a barrier."

All of this was a lot for him to handle. It brought him back to his parents and their sacrifice. His mom loved him and that's what caused the spell to work. Harry knew Hermione loved him, but enough for her to do all this?

As if she were reading his mind she responded, "I do love you Harry. You're like a brother to me. But it was the love of Ron that made this spell work."

"I don't understand," Harry said.

"When I first read it I was confused about what to do as was Dumbledore. That's one reason why we didn't tell anyone. But when Ron told me that he loved me when we first reached the Manor, I knew what was to come. I knew what I had to do." Hermione looked into Harry's eyes, her own eyes filling with tears. "I will never be able to say those words to him. He will never hear me tell him that I love him again. I need you to do that for me Harry. When you go back, tell Ron that I love him and that I want him to live a long, happy life. He was the love of my life, no matter how short it was. It has always been him."

"Of course Hermione, anything for you."

Harry realized that he was slowly fading away. Hermione remained in front of him in tears but with a smile on her face. "Harry. I love you too. You've always been one of my best friends. Please don't forget me."

"I never will Hermione. Ever. How could I? You're amazing." Harry left her with one last smile before he disappeared from her view completely.

_Kick Voldemort's ass for me Harry._ She thought, knowing that he would never let her down.

xxx

A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. The story will be coming to a close soon and I am hoping that you all enjoy it. I'd say another 2 chapters and then it's a wrap.

However, I would like to write a new story. If anyone has any interesting ideas that they would like to read about please message me or leave it in a comment. I would love to build a story around anyone's ideas as I'm sure everyone has great suggestions!

Anyways, please comment and/or message me!


	21. Means to an End

Harry's green eyes shot open. He was on the ground in the basement. Everything looked exactly the same, as if the time he was with Hermione didn't happen. Voldemort hadn't noticed that Harry wasn't dead. Instead he stepped right over his body and headed towards Ron.

Slowly Harry rolled over, not drawing any attention to him from either Ron or Voldemort. It appeared as if someone had killed everyone else in the room. Bellatrix's eyes were frozen in surprise as she lay on the ground. Malfoy's expression was similar. The only two standing were Ron and Voldemort, neither aware of Harry's presence.

Ron's face was filled with rage. He looked as if his world had ended. From what Harry was told by Hermione, it had.

"Looks like your little girlfriend is dead, isn't that just a pity?" Voldemort said with a smile on his face.

"Don't you talk about her like that!" Ron exclaimed in anger, thrusting his wand in Voldemort's direction.

Voldemort's smirk grew knowing how to provoke Ron. "You think you can kill me Weasley? The mudblood certainly couldn't. Potter too is dead. That leaves you and only you. So think again. You are alone in the world. There is nothing to live for."

Ron fired a spell at the Dark Lord who immediately deflected it. "You don't have anything to live for either!" Ron shouted back. "You don't know what love is and you never will. No one could ever love a monster like you. I had something. I had friends, not followers who were afraid of me. I had a love, one so great it could change the world. You'll never have that feeling. I am grateful for it. No matter how short-lived because I know it would've lasted a lifetime. But you took it away and now I live for the memory; HER memory. I will kill you just so I can remember."

Voldemort's smirk faded. "You think you can live your life remembering and looking back do you? You're in for a rude awakening. That's the reason for all of this; the war and deaths, everything. You think you'll be happy? You're a lot like Tom Riddle before I made him disappear."

These words cut Ron like a knife. The thought of becoming Voldemort terrified him. Voldemort took notice of his effectiveness and continued to push further. "Wouldn't dying be better? You'd be reunited with your dumb mudblood and Potter. Why live when death is closer to those you love?"

Ron lowered his wand. What Voldemort was saying made sense. All he wanted was to be with Hermione and there was no other way to be with her than to die himself. He didn't even have Harry anymore to talk to. His world around him had come crashing down and he was the last one standing. He did have his family who were upstairs, the sounds of their battles raging on. But nothing compared to being with Hermione and Harry, the only two people he had ever truly confided in.

"Fine then," Ron finally answered. "Kill me."

Harry had been listening the whole trying to decide when to strike. Ron had been so brave, ready to defeat Voldemort just so he could make Hermione's memory, and even his own, live on. Harry had never been more proud of either of his friends. But when Voldemort steered the conversation towards Ron's death Harry knew he had to get involved soon.

Voldemort's wand rose in the direction of Ron, whose head was down. Anger no longer showed on his face. Instead it was replaced by sadness and defeat. It was plain to see that he would do anything to be with his one true love again.

"Wise choice Weasley." Voldemort's smirk returned to his face. "Avada. . ." he started but never finished.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted causing Voldemort's wand flying into Harry's hand. The Dark Lord's smirk immediately disappeared. Instead it was replaced by pure shock.

Ron too was in shock. "Harry?" was all he managed to say as Harry tried to give a comforting smile to his best friend.

"How?" was all Voldemort could get out.

"Because love always wins and that's something you will never know. I've had enough of you Voldemort," Harry spoke violently. "It's your time to die, not Ron's. You will pay for all who you have killed."

Harry summoned all the anger he could. All the pain Voldemort had caused he remembered from his parent's death to Hermione's sacrifice. Then he spoke the two words which had become the Dark Lord's catchphrase. The red light shot out of his wand like a lightning bolt. Once it made contact with Voldemort his face dropped and his body fell. Lord Voldemort had been defeated.

Harry was overjoyed. His lifelong battle was over. He could finally become a normal man and lead a normal life. Then he looked over to where Ron had been standing and realized he was no longer there. Harry panicked and looked over to where Hermione's body lay. There stood Ron, sadness once again consuming his face. Harry slowly walked over.

"Please Hermione, you can't do this to me. You were able to fight the other unforgivable curses, please fight this one," Ron whispered as tears began building behind his eyes. "I can't live without you. Please." Ron turned to Harry. "How did you survive? How come she couldn't?" His focus again went back to Hermione's lifeless form.

Harry slowly approached his two best friends and kneeled down next to Ron. "I saw her," Harry said to him. "Voldemort's curse hit me but I didn't die. I was just knocked out. When I opened my eyes, she was there."

Ron's tear filled eyes looked away from Hermione over at Harry. "What'd she say?" he asked fighting back his tears.

"She told me everything. Because of her I was able to defeat Voldemort. If it wasn't for her things could have turned out differently. Her sacrifice saved the world."

Once more Ron's eyes drifted back to Hermione, the tears having yet to fall from his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Harry let a soft smile cross his face. "She said her love for you allowed it to happen. Her sacrifice meant Voldemort couldn't kill me, just like my mom's did." Harry paused briefly before continuing. "She wanted me to tell you that you will always be the love of her life but she wants you to continue living a long and happy life."

"I can't do that," Ron cried. "I can't be happy without her. She was my world Harry. I know she wants me to be happy but it's physically impossible. She's such an amazing person to make such a sacrifice. And for what; to save not just you or me but everyone. I can't think of anyone else that would do that."

Finally, Ron let his tears escape. They rolled down his dirty face as he whispered, "I love you Hermione."

xxx

A/N: One final chapter left all! I hope you enjoy this and the next. Please remember to leave ideas for a future story, I beg you. And please review!


	22. The End

His tears fell to the ground; some reaching Hermione's lifeless body. Ron had fully realized she wasn't coming back to him. Harry put an arm around his best friend, tears building up in his eyes too. Finally, the Order showed up being led by Dumbledore who solemnly looked at the trio before him. Next was Mrs. Weasley who looked ahead to see her son, relief crossing her face; but when she saw him in tears over Hermione that relief disappeared. Soon after her the rest of the group shuffled in, realizing the cost of everything that just happened.

Everyone who entered surveyed the room. They noticed the fallen bodies of Malfoy and Bellatrix and especially that of Voldemort's. The Death Eaters had left upon hearing of the Dark Lord's death, although how they found out was a mystery. However, they were not aware of the lost life of one of their own. They would not soon be celebrating this victory.

Molly Weasley walked over to her youngest son and put a hand on his shoulder. "Ronald," she whispered, "I am so sorry." Her eyes too began to tear.

"It's not fair," Ron cried. "This shouldn't have happened.'

At this point Dumbledore stepped forward. "Unfortunately it had too Mr. Weasley. I know how it happened: she had found the only way to defeat Voldemort. She was brave and that's what separated her from the Ravenclaws."

Ron stood up slowly. He walked over to where the Dark Lord's body lay and gave it a hard kick. "You got off easy!" He shouted. "You died quickly. She went through months of torture because of you. I wish you suffered."

"It will all be okay son," Mr. Weasley said trying to calm his son.

Ron, however, wouldn't have it. "No it won't!" He screamed. "You weren't there with her. You didn't watch all the pain and suffering she felt just to protect us all. Those were the last feelings she ever felt. This was the last place she ever saw. She'll never see another sunrise or sunset. She'll never graduate from school at the top of her class. She'll never breathe again." Ron walked back over to where Hermione's body laid and kneeled by her side. Once more, the tears began to fall from his eyes, covering the fallen girl. "She'll never know how much I love her."

"Come Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore urged the young red-head. "We have a lot to do."

Ron stood up with Harry and began walking towards the group. Dumbledore raised Hermione's body off of the ground and prepared everyone to leave the area. Just as they were all together Ron heard a whisper.

"What'd you say Harry?" He asked.

Harry responded, "I didn't say anything mate."

Ron shrugged it off, believing that his mind was playing tricks on him. But when he heard it again he stopped in his tracks. This time Harry also heard.

"Where is that coming from?" Harry asked.

Ron walked over to Hermione's floating body. "Hermione?" He whispered, reaching out to hold her hand. When he grabbed it a miracle happened: she flinched. "Put her down!" He exclaimed. Dumbledore did as Ron wished. He lowered her body to the ground, everyone gathering around her.

"Hermione? Are you there?"

This time a whimper escaped the small girl lying on the floor. "Ron," she simply said but to everyone in the room, that word meant everything. Slowly, her eyes flickered open. Everyone in the room was shocked, no one more so then Ron.

He lifted her head onto his legs so that it wasn't touching the ground. "How are you here? I saw you get hit with the curse," Ron asked, words not getting out fast enough.

Her eyes continued to flicker; she was trying her hardest to remain conscious. When she finally answered she said weakly, "I heard you crying and I couldn't leave you. Then I felt your tears and the field started to disappear. The next thing I knew I was here."

Ron was astonished. He wasn't sure how it happened but he didn't care. The fact that she survived the killing curse was unbelievable. She was now the second person to ever do so. But that didn't matter because she was with him.

Dumbledore smiled and provided some explanation. "Love saves all," he simply stated. "Now we must get Miss. Granger some help. Then I believe we are due for some celebration."

Everyone agreed. Ron looked down at Hermione and pulled her into his arms. This is how things were meant to be and how they were going to be for a very long time.

xxx

A/N: And that is a wrap! I know it's short and maybe a little cliché but how could I actually kill Hermione? I appreciate all of you for reading through this story and giving me the encouragement to finish it. Please leave your final thoughts about the story. I am in the process of writing another story so I wish to see you all there! Thank you all for making this story as successful as it has been, without you none of it is possible!


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